Dietitian Blog, Professional Development | Nov 15 2022

Tips for talking to your employer about NFPE training

A team at work collaborating in a meeting room

Are you and your colleagues in need of NFPE training, but you need financial support from your employer? Dietitians know the value of receiving NFPE training and applying those techniques in patient nutrition assessments. We also know how accurate malnutrition identification, documentation, and intervention can positively impact the quality of patient care and reimbursement a healthcare facility receives.

But your employer may not.

If you’re ready to enhance your malnutrition assessments and improve patient care at your facility, talk to your employer about hosting an NFPE training session at your facility.

Step 1: Calculate the costs

When considering the costs of an NFPE training, there are a few different ways to approach and understand costs:

  • Cost per facility or group – This lump sum will be the biggest number and may be daunting for an employer. It’s the “all-in” cost for your group’s training.
  • Cost per person – The more attendees you have, the cheaper it is per person. If your group is small, consider partnering with another healthcare facility to lower the per-person costs. If your employer is subsidizing the training costs, rather than covering them in full, this is relevant information to help you successfully share costs.
  • Cost per continuing education credit – Seek out programs that offer additional CE credits beyond what would be obtained during the hands-on NFPE training. A training that is $30 per CE credit is more economical compared to one that is $100 per CE credit, even if the overall costs of both trainings are the same.

If you choose Dietitians On Demand’s NFPE training, we keep costs simple with a flat fee. This approach is economical and advantageous to larger groups. Other NFPE providers charge per-person fees or tack on extra pricing for a la carte services, like hands-on practice with patients. Our flat fee pricing makes it easy for facilities to see the all-in cost and make an informed decision when booking an NFPE training. Submit a request here to receive your customized NFPE quote.

Step 2: Describe the benefits

There is a mountain of research describing the negative clinical outcomes associated with malnutrition, the positive impact of early nutrition intervention, and the reimbursement potential of proper malnutrition diagnosis. Improving malnutrition-related care would impact these outcomes and would ultimately benefit the facility.

Two-thirds of the recommended malnutrition diagnostic criteria relate to a patient’s physical findings. So, applying NFPE techniques to a comprehensive nutrition assessment is essential if you want to accurately identify patients with malnutrition and improve clinical outcomes.

Dietitians On Demand’s in-person NFPE training is customizable to your facility with optional features like hands-on patient practice, a “train the trainer” model, application to different practice settings (i.e., acute care, long-term care, or pediatrics), and post-training debriefing session with facility leadership. Choose what you need for your facility to maximize the long-lasting impact of this important educational opportunity.

Step 3: Make your request

When it’s time to formally request approval and financial support for your NFPE training, gather the information on costs and benefits. In the communication to your employer, include the following information to make a compelling request:

  • Why malnutrition care matters – focusing on quality and financial impact
  • Any deficits your facility currently experiences due to lack of appropriate malnutrition training and care (e.g., missed diagnoses, frequent readmissions, higher costs of care, unclaimed reimbursement, longer lengths of stay, etc.)
  • Benefits of receiving in-person NFPE training
  • What NFPE training consists of
  • Time commitments for the training
  • Costs per person or per CE credit

Learn more about Dietitians On Demand’s NFPE offerings here.


Dietitians On Demand is a nationwide staffing and recruiting company for registered dietitians, specializing in short-term, temporary and permanent-hire positions in acute care, long term care and food service positions. We’re dedicated to dietitians and helping them enhance their practice and excel in the workplace. Check out our job openingsrequest your coverage, or visit our store today!

Sara Glanz, registered dietitian

About Sara Glanz

Sara Glanz, MS, RD, LD, CNSC worked as a traveling dietitian for Dietitians On Demand for two years before joining the corporate team. In her current role as Director of Clinical Education, she has championed the continuing education program to empower dietitians everywhere to achieve their professional goals.

Who we are

Dietitians On Demand is the nationwide leader in providing dietitians with jobs they love. If flexibility, competitive pay, a full benefits package, free CPEUs each month and a team dedicated to dietitians sound good to you, apply to our positions today.

Browse jobs

Share on Social
Most recent blogs

All Articles

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up today and choose your preferences to receive the information that’s best for you as a dietitian, hiring manager or patient.

Copyright 2024 - Dietitians On Demand