Practice questions
Topic 4: Management and Leadership
4. Management and Leadership (12.5% of exam – 23 questions)
Q1. A dietitian is asked to lead a new food literacy program for older adults. What should they do first when managing this project?
A. Start promoting the program to the public
B. Order recipe books to distribute
C. Conduct a needs assessment of the target population
D. Book a venue and confirm program dates
Correct Answer: C
Cognitive Level: Analyze, Interpret, and Apply Knowledge
Competency: 4.01 – Manage programs and projects
Rationale:
C ensures the program is relevant and evidence-informed.
A and D are premature without understanding the population.
B is not appropriate before program objectives are clarified.
Q2. A dietitian is implementing a new documentation tool but finds uptake is low among staff. What is the best strategy to improve engagement?
A. Email weekly reminders to use the tool
B. Host a feedback session and adjust the tool collaboratively
C. Instruct supervisors to monitor compliance
D. Replace the tool with a simpler format
Correct Answer: B
Cognitive Level: Analyze, Interpret, and Apply Knowledge
Competency: 4.02 – Assess and enhance approaches to practice
Rationale:
B engages staff in the improvement process and promotes buy-in.
A and C are top-down.
D might be premature without proper feedback.
Q3. A dietitian reviews recent client outcomes and notices a pattern of poor blood sugar control despite counseling. What is the most appropriate next step?
A. Document the findings and continue current practice
B. Reassess the nutrition education materials and counseling strategies
C. Refer all clients to diabetes education programs
D. Report the issue to management as a quality concern
Correct Answer: B
Cognitive Level: Analyze, Interpret, and Apply Knowledge
Competency: 4.02 – Assess and enhance approaches to practice
Rationale:
B allows for critical reflection and practice improvement.
A ignores the issue.
C may be helpful, but it doesn’t address the internal gap.
D is premature without internal assessment.
Q4. A dietitian wants to test whether a new counseling approach improves client retention. What is the most appropriate first step?
A. Share client records with a researcher
B. Ask clients for feedback post-session
C. Develop a study design and ethics application
D. Apply for publication funding
Correct Answer: C
Cognitive Level: Demonstrate Comprehension
Competency: 4.03 – Participate in practice-based research activities
Rationale:
C ensures ethical, measurable, and structured research.
A violates confidentiality.
B is informal.
D is premature.
Q5. A dietitian wants to share program outcomes with stakeholders. What is the best example of knowledge translation?
A. Creating an infographic summarizing key findings for partners
B. Submitting the data to a research journal
C. Writing a technical report for dietitians
D. Sharing raw data in a public folder
Correct Answer: A
Cognitive Level: Demonstrate Comprehension
Competency: 4.04 – Undertake knowledge translation
Rationale:
A tailors the data into an accessible, stakeholder-friendly format.
B and C have limited reach.
D may be confusing or irrelevant.
Q6. A public health dietitian is concerned about rising food insecurity in their region. What is an example of advocacy in their role?
A. Posting information about healthy eating on social media
B. Writing a letter to municipal officials calling for improved food access
C. Recommending food banks to clients
D. Creating nutrition handouts for schools
Correct Answer: B
Cognitive Level: Demonstrate Comprehension
Competency: 4.05 – Advocate for ongoing improvement of nutritional health and care
Rationale:
B shows proactive systems-level engagement.
A and D are educational but not advocacy.
C is a short-term solution.
Q7. A preceptor wants to help a dietetic intern develop critical thinking skills. What strategy best supports this goal?
A. Assign a list of clinical cases to memorize
B. Have them shadow other dietitians all week
C. Ask them to reflect on case outcomes and decisions made
D. Provide a checklist of common clinical terms
Correct Answer: C
Cognitive Level: Analyze, Interpret, and Apply Knowledge
Competency: 4.06 – Foster learning in others
Rationale:
C supports reflective learning and deeper reasoning.
A and D promote rote learning.
B lacks active engagement.
Q8. A dietitian is mentoring a new team member. What best describes the dietitian's role in supporting learning?
A. Provide all protocols and let them self-study
B. Regularly assess the learner’s needs and adapt strategies accordingly
C. Assign daily independent tasks with minimal supervision
D. Share their personal opinions on best practices
Correct Answer: B
Cognitive Level: Demonstrate Comprehension
Competency: 4.06 – Foster learning in others
Rationale:
B ensures learner-centered, evolving support.
A and C lack guidance.
D is subjective and may not be evidence-based.
Q9. A dietitian wants to help teens develop food literacy. What is the most effective approach?
A. Share a list of government nutrition websites
B. Host a cooking class and show how to read flyers for meal planning
C. Teach the difference between carbohydrates and fats
D. Provide a handout on food labels
Correct Answer: B
Cognitive Level: Analyze, Interpret, and Apply Knowledge
Competency: 4.07 – Foster development of food literacy in others
Rationale:
B combines hands-on learning with real-world skills.
A, C, and D are more passive or theoretical.
Q10. A client says they avoid cooking because they don't know how to use a knife. What is the best response?
A. Provide a link to a cooking video on YouTube
B. Suggest they buy pre-chopped vegetables
C. Offer to teach safe knife skills step-by-step
D. Recommend they attend a culinary school
Correct Answer: C
Cognitive Level: Analyze, Interpret, and Apply Knowledge
Competency: 4.08 – Foster development of food skills in others
Rationale:
C empowers the client with practical skill-building.
A and B avoid the underlying issue.
D is not realistic.
Q11. (Case-Based) A Hospital Launches a Meal Delivery Program
A hospital is launching an outpatient meal delivery service to support recently discharged clients at risk of malnutrition. The clinical dietitian has been asked to manage the project in collaboration with food services and community partners.
Q11.1. What is the most important first step the dietitian should take when managing this new program?
A. Advertise the service on social media
B. Set clear goals, roles, and timelines
C. Order sample meals from catering vendors
D. Ask food services to start prepping meals immediately
Correct Answer: B
Cognitive Level: Analyze, Interpret, and Apply Knowledge
Competency: 4.01 – Manage programs and projects
Rationale:
B ensures structured planning.
A and C are premature.
D skips foundational setup.
Q11.2. One month into the program, some clients report delayed meals. What should the dietitian do first?
A. Increase the number of drivers
B. Review delivery logs and meet with the team
C. Call each client for feedback
D. Report the issue to upper management
Correct Answer: B
Cognitive Level: Analyze, Interpret, and Apply Knowledge
Competency: 4.02 – Assess and enhance approaches to practice
Rationale:
B uses data to guide next steps.
A assumes the cause.
C is helpful later.
D bypasses internal action.
Q11.3. The team wants to evaluate satisfaction. Which tool is best?
A. Verbal check-ins during follow-up calls
B. Clinical chart reviews
C. A brief client satisfaction survey
D. Exit interviews with delivery staff
Correct Answer: C
Cognitive Level: Demonstrate Comprehension
Competency: 4.01 – Manage programs and projects
Rationale:
C is simple, targeted, and trackable.
A is informal.
B doesn’t measure satisfaction.
D is indirect.
Q11.4. The hospital hopes to publish the results. What is the first step?
A. Apply for journal funding
B. Consult with the research ethics board
C. Share the data with local media
D. Recruit volunteers to collect data
Correct Answer: B
Cognitive Level: Analyze, Interpret, and Apply Knowledge
Competency: 4.03 – Participate in practice-based research activities
Rationale:
B ensures ethical compliance.
A and D are later steps.
C risks confidentiality.
Q11.5. A volunteer asks about allergen labeling. What is the best teaching response?
A. Tell them to ask food services
B. Explain the allergen policy and show examples of labels
C. Direct them to the company website
D. Say it’s not their responsibility
Correct Answer: B
Cognitive Level: Demonstrate Comprehension
Competency: 4.06 – Foster learning in others
Rationale:
B teaches clearly and safely.
A and C deflect.
D discourages engagement.
Q12. (Case-Based) A Community Dietitian Teaches Food Skills to Newcomers
A community dietitian is running a hands-on food literacy and skills series for newcomers who are unfamiliar with Canadian grocery stores, meal planning, and nutrition labels.
Q12.1. Attendance is dropping. What’s the best response?
A. Offer grocery store gift cards as incentives
B. Ask for participant feedback to identify barriers
C. Shorten the classes to 20 minutes
D. Move the program online
Correct Answer: B
Cognitive Level: Analyze, Interpret, and Apply Knowledge
Competency: 4.02 – Assess and enhance approaches to practice
Rationale:
B identifies access barriers.
A is not sustainable.
C and D may reduce engagement further.
Q12.2. What’s the best way to teach meal planning?
A. Provide a government food guide brochure
B. Explain macronutrients in detail
C. Use flyers to create weekly meal plans within a budget
D. Talk about food groups with the class
Correct Answer: C
Cognitive Level: Analyze, Interpret, and Apply Knowledge
Competency: 4.07 – Foster development of food literacy in others
Rationale:
C blends budgeting and real-life planning.
A and D are passive.
B may confuse or alienate.
Q12.3. What’s the best way to make recipes more accessible?
A. Use illustrated recipes with visual step-by-step instructions
B. Translate all recipes into French and English
C. Include a glossary of cooking terms
D. Use complex terminology to increase vocabulary
Correct Answer: A
Cognitive Level: Demonstrate Comprehension
Competency: 4.08 – Foster development of food skills in others
Rationale:
A supports literacy and engagement.
B may not meet all needs.
C is less direct.
D is a barrier.
Q12.4. A participant wants to cook but lacks knife skills. What’s best?
A. Refer them to a YouTube tutorial
B. Offer a hands-on class with supervision
C. Encourage them to buy pre-chopped vegetables
D. Tell them to observe others
Correct Answer: B
Cognitive Level: Analyze, Interpret, and Apply Knowledge
Competency: 4.08 – Foster development of food skills in others
Rationale:
B builds skills and confidence.
A and D are passive.
C avoids long-term improvement.
Q12.5. How should the dietitian share program results with partners?
A. Send raw data files via email
B. Develop a one-page summary with outcomes and photos
C. Host a formal academic presentation
D. Submit a report to a peer-reviewed journal
Correct Answer: B
Cognitive Level: Demonstrate Comprehension
Competency: 4.04 – Undertake knowledge translation
Rationale:
B is engaging and tailored.
A is inaccessible.
C and D are not suited to the audience.