Continuing education needs as perceived by dietetic practitioners
Vanderveen, E.; Hubbard, R.M.
Journal of the American Dietetic Association 75(4): 429-433
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-8223 PMID: 479486 Document Number: 142134
Dietitians indicated their perceived need for further education by responding to 109 subject matter topics in the following major knowledge areas: 1) managerial sciences; 2) nutritional care sciences; and 3) behavioral, communicative, and sociocultural sciences. Self-administered questionnaires were returned by 232 of 448 randomly selected members of the Ohio Dietetic Association. The findings indicate that dietitians perceived a greater educational need for professional knowledge than for behavioral, communicative, and socio-cultural sciences. Higher need levels were expressed for skills in technical and human ability than for skills in conceptual ability, and, generally, for nutritional knowledge rather than knowledge application. High interest in nutritional care topics was consistent with the fact that 68% of the employed respondents indicated responsibility in clinical and general practice.