Simulation in Dietetics Education: A Scoping Review of the Literature

Abstract

There are not enough dietetic internship spots to meet the growing rate of DPD graduates. Dietetics educators are looking into different alternatives to provide clinical experience and one solution is the use of simulation experiences. Simulation use has been common in fields such as medicine and nursing, but the extent of its use in dietetics is currently unknown. The purpose of this scoping review was to assess any literature available on the topic of the use of simulation in dietetics education over the last ten years. A systematic literature search was conducted across ten different academic databases. Twelve articles were included in the final analysis. The results show that standardized patients are the most utilized simulation type in dietetics education, with communication and interviewing skills being the most investigated outcome. It was also found that outcomes in included studies improved with simulation use. Future research could focus on developing specific validated tools to assess interested outcomes in dietetics students and also in how simulation use could improve the development of nutrition focused physical exam (NFPE) skills in dietetics students.