Professional development needs in nutrition and dietetics

Background. Continuing education has long played a role in the maintenance of professional competence of nutrition and dietetics professionals. Due to the lack of published continuing education research in nutrition over the last 15 years, very little is known about the adequacy of continuing education resources for today’s nutrition and dietetics professionals. Objective. To examine the continuing education needs of nutrition and dietetics professionals. Design and Methods. A cross-sectional survey study of nutrition and dietetics professionals who graduated from the University of Texas at Austin Didactic Program in Dietetics and/or Coordinated Program in Dietetics. A survey was constructed and content-validated to assess continuing education needs in specific areas of nutrition. Descriptive statistics was used to report the results. Measures. Demographics, areas of focus in continuing education, continuing education activity preferences, targeted levels of competence in continuing education, and learning needs. Results. 54 surveys were returned. Of those 54, 41 were able to be used for analysis. Most of the participants worked in clinical nutrition (64.7%) and/or in nutrition education (38.2%). 75.6% of participants chose continuing education activities based on convenience and accessibility in their areas of interest. 63.4% of participants reported that their continuing education learning needs were not being met in at least one of their areas of focus in continuing education. Conclusion. Despite the emphasis on continuing education in the nutrition field, most of the participants reported unmet learning needs in some capacity. Further investigation into the adequacy of continuing education resources in nutrition is needed.Nutritional Science

A Holistic Approach to Curriculum Design – an example from dietetic practice education

Practice Education is an integral component of all student dietitians’ academic programme. This paper outlines how a holistic, situational model of curriculum design was used to redesign a two-week clinical placement module to facilitate application of theory and development of core professional attributes based on pre-existing learning outcomes. This module is currently a core professional development module for all Human Nutrition and Dietetics BSc and PGDip student

Communication in the Disciplines: Interpersonal Communication in Dietetics

This study proposes to expand the scope of oral communication across the curriculum research by exploring oral genres in a dietetics curriculum from the perspective of the dietetics faculty. The goals of this qualitative study, couched within the communication in the disciplines framework, are to identify the oral genres integral to the study and practice of dietetics and to determine if dietetics faculty who participated in the study perceive the communication experiences offered during dietetics education transfer to professional practice. Two conclusions resulted: the first result is that interpersonal communication is the oral site at which the dietetics discipline is advanced and maintained. However, the results of the study showed the interpersonal concepts and skills were applied differently in the dietetics interview as compared to their application in oral communication. Results of the data analysis regarding the second goal showed that although dietetics faculty felt communication experiences provided during dietetics education were adequate for professional practice, they noted a troubling lack of confidence in the dietetic interns that manifested itself in a reluctance to communicate with persons in power positions and extended to professional practice

Establishing an evidenced-based dietetic model of care in haemodialysis using implementation science

To establish an evidence-based dietetics service in an in-centre haemodialysis unit utilising implementation science.The service was developed through the Knowledge-to-Action Framework. The steps of the Action Cycle were addressed through a literature review, identification of evidence-based guidelines, benchmarking and local staff engagement. The theoretical domains framework (TDF) was used to identify barriers/enablers, and behaviour change wheel to determine appropriate interventions. To monitor, evaluate outcomes and assess sustained knowledge use we employed multidisciplinary team engagement and database use. Audit data were collected at baseline, 6 and 12 months on nutrition assessment (Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment), intervention timeliness and alignment to dietetic workforce recommendations. Descriptive statistics, McNemar tests and a linear mixed model were applied.Barriers existed in the knowledge, skills, environmental context and resources TDF domains. Suitable interventions were identified with training on nutritional management of haemodialysis patients delivered to 148 nurses, and nutrition management recommendations summarised into local procedural resources. A database to prompt and monitor outcome measures was created and indicated that over 18 months post-service commencement, eligible patients received nutrition assessment at least 6-monthly, aligning with recommendations. Prevalence of malnutrition was 28% (n = 9/32) at baseline, 23% (n = 5/22) at 6 months and 20% (n = 4/20) at 12 months (P = 0.50).We demonstrated benefits to service development and implementation with implementation science providing a structured and methodical approach to translating guidelines into practice. Development of training, resources and prompts for outcome measures has supported the establishment of an evidence-based dietetics service in a haemodialysis unit

Inclusion is an action word

Published versionSupporting documentatio

Barnes Hospital Bulletin

https://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/bjc_barnes_bulletin/1085/thumbnail.jp

Barnes Hospital Record Dietary Newsletter

https://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/bjc_barnes_record/1082/thumbnail.jp