Continuing Education Needs of Dietetic Technicians

Abstract

LEARNING OUTCOME: To identity continuing education needs of dietetic technicians. A national survey was conducted to determine continuing education needs of dietetic technicians and to determine any relationship between continuing education needs and the demographic variables of age, years experience as a technician, salary range, membership in ADA, work emphasis, type and size of employment facility, and number of technicians in the facility. A questionnaire consisting of demographic information, continuing education topics and methods of presentation was mailed to 600 randomly selected dietetic technicians and a usable response rate of 33.5% (n = 194) was received. There were nine methods of obtaining continuing education selected for the study. Respondents chose workshops most often as the preferred method while lecture was chosen second. Study groups and computer assisted instruction were least preferred. There were 29 continuing education topics which technicians could choose. Twelve topics, all in the area of clinical nutrition, were listed as very important or important by at least 80 per cent of respondents. Topics included diabetes, cardiovascular disease, drug/nutrient interactions, nutrition assessment, weight control and cancer. Chi-square analyses were completed on personal variables of age, years of experience, membership in ADA, and salary range, and institutional variables of type and size of employment facility, number of technicians in facility, and area of work. Personal variables of age, years experience, and salary were significantly related to continuing education topics. Institutional variables of work emphasis, type and size of employment facility, and number of technicians in the facility were significantly related to continuing education topics. Choice of continuing education topics was influenced by the technicians’ area of work and their employment facility.