Masters Theses

Date of Award

8-1975

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Food Science and Technology

Major Professor

Betty L. Beach

Committee Members

Mary Jo Hitchcock, Elizabeth A. Yetley

Abstract

The adequacy of present dietetic education and training programs was investigated, and the future responsibilities and educational and training needs of consulting dietitians were explored through the use of the Delphi forecasting technique. The two panels of experts in this study were composed of 42 consulting dietitians to nursing homes and 100 administrators of such facilities in the State of Tennessee. Information was obtainedby means of three rounds of Delphi questionnaires.

Profile data were obtained from the panels in Delphi Round I. Consulting dietitians indicated whether or not they performed responsibilities listed on the questionnaire as functions for consulting dietitians. The dietetic consultants rated how well their education and training prepared them to perform the responsibilities. Administrators indicated whether or not the dietetic consultant performed the responsibilities listed on the questionnaire and rated the consulting dietitian's performance.

Seventy-seven per cent of all responses from dietitians relating to their educational preparedness to perform the responsibilities were adequate or above. Ninety-four per cent of the administrators' responses were recorded for adequate or above adequate performances by consulting dietitians.

The panels in Delphi Round II, rated the importance of statements describing possible educational and training needs and possible responsibilities of consulting dietitians to nursing homes within the next ten years. All statements exceeded the required 50 per cent for ratings of very important or important by the panels for concensus of opinion and were included in the final Delphi round. The range of the percentages of dietitians' rating statements as very important or important was 73 per cent to 100 per cent. The administrators' range was from 59 per cent to 100 per cent,

In the final Delphi round, the panels were asked to rank the statements from Round II. The questionnaire was divided into two parts. Part A was comprised of 13 statements related to forecasted educational and training needs, and Part B described 19 forecasted responsibilities.

A Spearman's rank order correlation of 0.89 was obtained for the panels rankings of Part A and a value of 0.80 was calculated for the panels rankings of Part B, both correlation values were significant at P < .05.

More courses in management science, personnel management, verbal and written communications, sanitation and safety, and equipment, layout and design were indicated as future educational needs of the consulting dietitian.

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