Since 2014, Debbie ten Cate has been affiliated to the Research Group Proactive Care for Older People Living at Home, first as a PhD candidate and from February 2023 as a postdoctoral researcher.
In February 2023, Debbie will defend her thesis ‘Promoting nurses’ behaviour change in nutritional care’ at Utrecht University. As a postdoctoral researcher, Debbie will focus on prevention and lifestyle support for older adults in the hospital and home setting. Debbie works as a lecturer at the bachelor program of Nursing. She also teaches at the master’s program of Clinical Health Sciences of Utrecht University.
"Nutritional care is an important part of nursing practice to promote the health of care recipients"
In the studies of Debbie her PhD project, several factors which influence behaviour of hospital and home care nurses in nutritional care were identified resulting in suboptimal nutritional care. To motivate nurses, an educational intervention was developed. It concerns a brief and concise educational intervention consisting of 30 statements about nursing nutritional care for older adults, which are presented through an online platform.
Expertises
Practice-based research
Nursing nutritional care for older adults in the hospital and home care setting
Prevention and lifestyle support in older adults in hospital and at home