Date of Publication
2025
Project Team
Carli A Marino, RN, DNP-Student, Lili Martin DNP, RN, PCCN & Kathryn Huggett Ph.D.
Abstract
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) affects 34.2–36.1 million Americans, leading to significant complications and healthcare costs. Dietary modification is a critical component of disease management, helping to prevent or slow progression, yet many healthcare providers lack confidence in counseling patients on nutrition. This project implemented an interprofessional education (IPE) event to enhance the confidence of graduate health professions students in providing Mediterranean diet-based dietary counseling for T2DM.
The intervention included a self-paced didactic module and an interactive IPE event with case-based discussions and hands-on meal preparation emphasizing Mediterranean diet principles. Participants completed pre- and post-event surveys using a modified Clinical Skills Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES). Mean self-efficacy scores ranged between 50-143%, with the greatest gains in adapting dietary recommendations for patients with physical disabilities and addressing economic and cultural barriers. Participants rated the event highly for relevance (9.4/10) and instructional quality (9.6/10), reporting increased confidence in translating dietary counseling skills into clinical practice. This project highlights the importance of interprofessional, experiential learning in equipping future providers with the confidence to implement dietary counseling, a key strategy for preventing disease progression and improving patient outcomes. Integrating similar IPE experiences into graduate curricula may enhance providers' ability to offer effective, patient-centered nutrition guidance.
Document Type
Dissertation/Thesis
Recommended Citation
Marino, Carli A. RN, DNP-Student and Martin, Lili DNP, RN, PCCN, "Optimizing Hyperglycemia Management of Type 2 Diabetes Through Dietary Counseling: Interprofessional Collaboration Among Graduate Healthcare Students" (2025). College of Nursing and Health Sciences Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Project Publications. 179.
https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/cnhsdnp/179
