An evaluation of a public health nutrition workforce development intervention for the nutrition and dietetics workforce
- 7 May 2010
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics
- Vol. 23 (3), 244-253
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-277x.2010.01069.x
Abstract
Background: Workforce development is a key element for building the capacity to effectively address priority population nutrition issues. On-the-job learning and mentoring have been proposed as strategies for practice improvement in public health nutrition; however, there is limited evidence for their effectiveness. Methods: An evaluation of a mentoring circle workforce development intervention was undertaken. Thirty-two novice public health nutritionists participated in one of three mentoring circles for 2 h, every 6 weeks, over a 7-month period. Pre- and post-intervention qualitative (questionnaire, interview, mentor diary) and quantitative (competence, time working in public health nutrition) data were collected. Results: The novice public health nutritionists explained the intervention facilitated sharing of ideas and strategies and promoted reflective practice. They articulated the important attributes of the mentor in the intervention as having experience in and a passion for public health, facilitating a trusting relationship and providing effective feedback. Participants reported a gain in competency and had an overall mean increase in self-reported competence of 15% (range 3–48% change; P < 0.05) across a broad range of competency elements. Many participants described re-orienting their practice towards population prevention, with quantifiable increases in work time allocated to preventive workpost-intervention. Conclusions: Mentoring supported service re-orientation and competency development in public health nutrition. The nature of the group learning environment and the role and qualities of the mentor were important elements contributing to the interventions effects. Mentoring circles offer a potentially effective strategy for workforce development in nutrition and dieteticsKeywords
This publication has 17 references indexed in Scilit:
- Mentoring circles in higher educationHigher Education Research & Development, 2009
- The effectiveness of portfolios for post-graduate assessment and education: BEME Guide No 12Medical Teacher, 2009
- The role of mentoring in public health nutrition workforce development. Perspectives of advanced-level practitionersPublic Health Nutrition, 2008
- The Public Health Nutrition workforce and its future challenges: the US experiencePublic Health Nutrition, 2008
- Public health nutrition practice in Canada: a situational assessmentPublic Health Nutrition, 2008
- The Public Health Nutrition workforce and its future challenges: the US experiencePublic Health Nutrition, 2008
- Workforce development: challenges for practice, professionalization and progressPublic Health Nutrition, 2008
- Toward Increased Capacity for Practice-Based Research Among Health Professionals: Implementing a Multisite Qualitative Research Project With DietitiansQualitative Health Research, 2007
- Competencies for effective public health nutrition practice: a developing consensusPublic Health Nutrition, 2004
- Comparing Telephone and Face-to-Face Qualitative Interviewing: a Research NoteQualitative Research, 2004