Attitudes as Affected by a Training Program for Hospital Dietary Employees

Attitude changes were evaluated for thirty-two semiskilled dietary employees of a one hundred and ninety bed hospital and nursing home.

A subjective pretest was given before the introduction of a training program consisting of slides and a commentary related to the duties and responsibilities of the participants. The posttest, identical to the pretest, followed the training program as an indication of retention of knowledge.

Expressions of changes of attitude of the participants were compared before and after a training program using an attitude questionnaire. Questions with discriminative value were determined.

The participants were classified by levels of education and periods of employment. Within the subgroups having completed grade school and high school, there were more positive than negative changes in attitudes. Within the subgroups based on periods of employment, ranging from one day to six months, and two years to five years and eleven months, more positive than negative attitude changes were indicated.

The mean scores of the pretest and posttest given after the training program indicated a retention of knowledge.