Practice point: Choosing between inexpensive and impersonal RD learning methods
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9. Rogers D. Salary Survey Workgroup: Report on the ADA 2002 Dietetics Compensation and Benefits Survey. J Am Diet Assoc. 2003;103:243-255. 10. Rogers D, Leonberg BL, Broadhurst CB. 2000 Commission on Dietetic Registration Dietetic Practice Audit. J Am Diet Assoc. 2000;102:270-292. 11. Kane MT, Cohen AS, Smith ER, Lewis C, Reidy C. 1995 Commission on Dietetic Registration Dietetic Practice Audit. J Am Diet Assoc. 1996;96:1292- 1301. 12. Bransford J, Brown A, Cocking R, eds. How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. Washington, DC, National Academy Press; 1999;46- 47. 13. Critical Challenges: Revitalizing the Health Professions for the 21st Cen- tury. Washington, DC: Pew Health Professions Commission; 1995. 14. Institute of Medicine. President’s Report to the Members. Available at: http://www.iom.edu/IOM/iomhome.nsf/. Accessed March 28, 2003. 15. Brody R, Touger-Decker R, Vonhagen S, Maillet JO. Role of Registered Dietitians in Dysphagia Screening. J Am Diet Assoc. 2000;100:1029-1037. 16. Touger-Decker, R. Clinical dietetic staffing needs assessment survey. Original contribution presented at: Annual meeting of the American Dietetic Association; October 10, 1985; New Orleans, LA. We would like to thank Marion Winkler, MS, RD, from DNS and Cherlyn Scantlebury from UMDNJ-SHRP for their help, time, and commitment to this project. Without their participation, this research would not have been possible. PRACTICE POINT Choosing between inexpensive and impersonal RD learning methods I n the previous piece, researchers Mackle et al compared the use of physical assessment competencies of dietitians learn- ing skills in two different methods: in-person training, through the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), and video-based training, via the Dietitians in Nutri- tion Support (DNS) dietetic practice group (DPG). “Both of the assessment programs offer similar information however, the style of learning is different,” the authors say. “The [in-person] course involves lectures with supervised hands-on practice, while the video offers a self-study approach with text study guide and visual instruction. The purpose of this study was to survey individuals who have completed either of the two physical assessment programs regarding their use of knowledge and skills learned in practice and whether method of learning had an affect on use of these skills.” The authors surveyed dietitians, all of whom took one of the two physical assessment programs, with a 15-item question- naire asking about area of practice, workplace setting, and use of physical assessment competencies, among other things. Out of 891 people surveyed 407 responses were usable, and from the responses the authors concluded that “there were no sig- nificant differences in use of physical assessment competen- cies between the UMDNJ program and the DNS program.” Mary Russell, MS, RD, Immediate DNS DPG Past Chair and Duke University Hospital Director of Nutrition Services, says that there is a practical difference between the two methods of learning. “The video is very well done for DNS, very high qual- ity, but I think practicing under the immediate guide of some- one who knows what they’re doing makes a big difference,” she says. “It’s useful to have people there to give assistance . . . you can physically learn techniques and people can show you your errors, like ‘You’re checking the pulse at the wrong area of the wrist,’ and so forth.” The authors did find differences in how the two groups re- sponded to questions as well as mistakes. “When comparing the VIDEO-BASED to IN-PERSON programs, IN-PERSON re- sponders tended to do more teaching as a whole. This may be because those who have taken the UDMNJ program had super- vised practice and therefore were able to ask questions and correct mistakes,” the article says. Russell says she can see the in-person group becoming more apt to ask questions and correct mistakes. “With questions, it’s an obvious difference—the video can’t respond to your actions. [Regarding mistakes, I compare it to] watching an exercise video and then going to a personal trainer . . . it is much more likely that you will pick up on your mistakes if you have some- one there to correct them.” However, Russell adds that the in-person program can be cost-prohibitive, making the video-based program more finan- cially realistic unless a strong case can be made for the alter- native. Positively, she says this article may help organizations realize the weaknesses of both methods, leading dietitians to learn in an interactive, yet cheaper environment. “It’s important to get the word out and make dietitians aware of what out there with physical assessment and ways to learn it,” she says. “Perhaps it will start a discussion about how it can be used in their practice—maybe creating a new way, like an online, interactive version, which would be in-between the video and in-person version, since the in-person can be expen- sive.” This article was written by Damon Brown, a freelance writer based in Chicago, IL. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2003.10.029 PERSPECTIVES IN PRACTICE 1638 / December 2003 Volume 103 Number 12
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Transcript of Practice point: Choosing between inexpensive and impersonal RD learning methods
9. Rogers D. Salary Survey Workgroup: Report on the ADA 2002 DieteticsCompensation and Benefits Survey. J Am Diet Assoc. 2003;103:243-255.10. Rogers D, Leonberg BL, Broadhurst CB. 2000 Commission on DieteticRegistration Dietetic Practice Audit. J Am Diet Assoc. 2000;102:270-292.11. Kane MT, Cohen AS, Smith ER, Lewis C, Reidy C. 1995 Commission onDietetic Registration Dietetic Practice Audit. J Am Diet Assoc. 1996;96:1292-1301.12. Bransford J, Brown A, Cocking R, eds. How People Learn: Brain, Mind,Experience, and School. Washington, DC, National Academy Press; 1999;46-47.13. Critical Challenges: Revitalizing the Health Professions for the 21st Cen-tury. Washington, DC: Pew Health Professions Commission; 1995.14. Institute of Medicine. President’s Report to the Members. Available at:http://www.iom.edu/IOM/iomhome.nsf/. Accessed March 28, 2003.
15. Brody R, Touger-Decker R, Vonhagen S, Maillet JO. Role of RegisteredDietitians in Dysphagia Screening. J Am Diet Assoc. 2000;100:1029-1037.16. Touger-Decker, R. Clinical dietetic staffing needs assessment survey.Original contribution presented at: Annual meeting of the American DieteticAssociation; October 10, 1985; New Orleans, LA.
We would like to thank Marion Winkler, MS, RD, from
DNS and Cherlyn Scantlebury from UMDNJ-SHRP for
their help, time, and commitment to this project. Without
their participation, this research would not have been
possible.
PRACTICE POINT
Choosing between inexpensive and impersonal RD learning methods
In the previous piece, researchers Mackle et al compared theuse of physical assessment competencies of dietitians learn-ing skills in two different methods: in-person training,
through the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey(UMDNJ), and video-based training, via the Dietitians in Nutri-tion Support (DNS) dietetic practice group (DPG).
“Both of the assessment programs offer similar informationhowever, the style of learning is different,” the authors say.“The [in-person] course involves lectures with supervisedhands-on practice, while the video offers a self-study approachwith text study guide and visual instruction. The purpose ofthis study was to survey individuals who have completed eitherof the two physical assessment programs regarding their use ofknowledge and skills learned in practice and whether methodof learning had an affect on use of these skills.”
The authors surveyed dietitians, all of whom took one of thetwo physical assessment programs, with a 15-item question-naire asking about area of practice, workplace setting, and useof physical assessment competencies, among other things. Outof 891 people surveyed 407 responses were usable, and fromthe responses the authors concluded that “there were no sig-nificant differences in use of physical assessment competen-cies between the UMDNJ program and the DNS program.”
Mary Russell, MS, RD, Immediate DNS DPG Past Chair andDuke University Hospital Director of Nutrition Services, saysthat there is a practical difference between the two methods oflearning. “The video is very well done for DNS, very high qual-ity, but I think practicing under the immediate guide of some-
one who knows what they’re doing makes a big difference,” shesays. “It’s useful to have people there to give assistance . . . youcan physically learn techniques and people can show you yourerrors, like ‘You’re checking the pulse at the wrong area of thewrist,’ and so forth.”
The authors did find differences in how the two groups re-sponded to questions as well as mistakes. “When comparing theVIDEO-BASED to IN-PERSON programs, IN-PERSON re-sponders tended to do more teaching as a whole. This may bebecause those who have taken the UDMNJ program had super-vised practice and therefore were able to ask questions andcorrect mistakes,” the article says.
Russell says she can see the in-person group becoming moreapt to ask questions and correct mistakes. “With questions, it’san obvious difference—the video can’t respond to your actions.[Regarding mistakes, I compare it to] watching an exercisevideo and then going to a personal trainer . . . it is much morelikely that you will pick up on your mistakes if you have some-one there to correct them.”
However, Russell adds that the in-person program can becost-prohibitive, making the video-based program more finan-cially realistic unless a strong case can be made for the alter-native.
Positively, she says this article may help organizations realizethe weaknesses of both methods, leading dietitians to learn inan interactive, yet cheaper environment.
“It’s important to get the word out and make dietitians awareof what out there with physical assessment and ways to learnit,” she says. “Perhaps it will start a discussion about how it canbe used in their practice—maybe creating a new way, like anonline, interactive version, which would be in-between thevideo and in-person version, since the in-person can be expen-sive.”
This article was written by Damon Brown, a freelance
writer based in Chicago, IL.
doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2003.10.029
PERSPECTIVES IN PRACTICE
1638 / December 2003 Volume 103 Number 12
