Conceptualizing Professionalism in Dietetics: An Australasian Qualitative Study

BackgroundProfessionalism is a vital aspect of health care and multidisciplinary teamwork. Although there is substantive professionalism literature in medicine and an expanding health care professions literature, there is a significant gap in understanding professionalism in dietetics. There are very few research papers in the dietetics literature on this issue compared with other health professions. Given the multidisciplinary nature of health care, it is important to understand what professionalism means within each profession to develop shared understandings across health care teams.ObjectiveThe study aim was to explore how dietetics professionalism is conceptualized by dietetic practitioners/preceptors, faculty, and new graduates.DesignA constructionist exploratory qualitative interview study was conducted.Participants/settingOne hundred participants (dietetics graduates, faculty, and practitioners/preceptors), associated with 17 universities across Australia and New Zealand and from diverse geographical and work settings, participated in 27 group and 24 individual interviews from March 2018 to June 2019.Statistical analyses performedThematic framework analysis was used to examine participants’ understandings of professionalism.ResultsTwenty-three dimensions of dietetics professionalism were identified, with the most common being communication and including four novel dimensions of professionalism (generational, emotion management, cultural capability, and advocacy) not previously described in other professions. Professionalism as emotion management and generational adds new insights to the professionalism literature, expanding understandings of this vital aspect of health care. Although high levels of consistency in professionalism understandings existed across the three stakeholder groups, some interesting differences were found. The profession of dietetics shares similarities with other professions in the ways professionalism is conceptualized.ConclusionsUsing these dimensions of professionalism as a framework for teaching and learning about professionalism will help in clarifying expectations and expand shared understandings about professionalism for dietitians, other health professions, and across multidisciplinary teams.     

Interprofessional education in undergraduate healthcare programmes: the reaction of student dietitians

BACKGROUND: Interprofessional education (IPE) is a novel teaching and learning initiative where students of more than one health profession learn interactively together. However, despite its potential for improving interprofessional relationships, there is little information regarding the participation of student dietitians in IPE. The aim of this paper was to consider the reaction of student dietitians to an IPE course in order to stimulate debate between dietitians regarding the issues relating to IPE. METHODS: Student dietitians participated in an IPE course consisting of seven sessions on communication and ethics in health care together with students of medicine and nursing. Student dietitians completed an evaluation questionnaire following each session that surveyed their reaction to the session using both a Likert scale and free-text comments. RESULTS: Twenty-six student dietitians completed the IPE course. All sessions were rated positively for interest value (P < or = 0.14), learning experience (P < or = 0.036) and value for clinical practice (P < or = 0.05). The limited number of free-text comments indicated some positive experiences regarding interprofessional learning, teaching content and teaching strategy. CONCLUSIONS: This is one of very few evaluations to describe the reaction of student dietitians to IPE. Student dietitians had largely positive reactions to the IPE course. Further research is required to evaluate whether these positive reactions were a direct consequence of the inclusion of students from other health professions and whether these translate into positive effects on learning, behaviour and results. The opportunities for the dietetic profession posed by students' involvement in IPE are discussed.     

Monitoring the development of clinical skills during training in a clinical placement

Background The education and training of health care practitioners has undergone recent reform, and indicate that curricula should place emphasis on the development of clinical skills and attitude. The purpose of this study was two‐fold: to define the key skills necessary for a competent dietetic student practitioner and to devise a reliable assessment tool to measure and track performance in these key skill areas throughout the period of clinical placement. Methods Key clinical skills were identified by a concensus group of experienced dietitians and academic practitioners. An assessment tool was then developed to measure these attributes in 43 students undertaking clinical placement at a number of training centres in Scotland. Development of skills was tracked for the entire duration of placements using the novel assessment tool. The assessment tool used a visual analogue scale (VAS) as the measuring score. Results A high level of skill attainment was equated with high VAS scores. Performance in three of the four key skills (written skills: r = 0.762, P ≤ 0.001; interviewing skills: r = 0.697, P < 0.001; and dietary assessment technique: r = 0.697, P ≤ 0.001) showed impressive correlation co‐efficients, indicating a striking and significant positive correlation with the length of training. A high skill performance level attainment was achieved by week 16/17 of training. Conclusion The authors are confident that the assessment tool is valid and reliable and measures skill performance objectively. A high level of skill attainment was observed in most students by about the mid‐point in training: this allows the student to consolidate these skills in the latter stages of training which is in keeping with educational and practice philosophy of placement learning outcomes.     

The testing of clinical skills in dietetic students prior to entering clinical placement

Background One of the most important requirements for contemporary education of a health care professional is to develop a framework for theory and practise which results in attainment of professional competencies suitably robust for a lifetime of practise ( Howe, 2002 ). In the context of those educating preregistration dietitians, this offers the challenge of presenting the student with innovative curricula designed to deliver the appropriate level of knowledge and understanding together with emphasis on skill and attitude development. The purpose of this study was to allow preregistration students the opportunity to practise key clinical skills prior to clinical placement and test skills acquisition using the model of an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). Methods The learning experience of the student was altered to accommodate a more conceptually‐driven, problem‐centred, case‐based approach. The curriculum was adjusted to incorporate a short clinical skills programme where emphasis was deliberately placed on skill acquisition. At the conclusion of this clinical skills programme, and prior to the students entering clinical placement, skill performance by students was tested using the OSCE. The method of testing was also evaluated by students. Results The OSCE was delivered to 37 preclinical students. Four of the test candidates (11%) failed in at least one of the skill areas: these students performed similarly during clinical placement. Twenty‐one (57%) students returned the post‐OSCE questionnaire. Twenty (95%) students reported a positive experience; 20 (95%) students reported initial anxiety that diminished as the test progressed. Conclusion The Project Team was confident with the novel approach taken in re‐designing the curriculum: to include a dedicated clinical skills programme, together with addition of the testing of clinical skills using the OSCE model. These curriculum changes were deemed to be highly appropriate additions to the student experience in determination of skill performance of students prior to clinical placement.