Menzies Health Institute of Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD, Australia.
J Hum Nutr Diet. 2017 Oct;30(5):588-595. doi: 10.1111/jhn.12479. Epub 2017 May 2.
Student confidence is an important contributor to a successful professional placement experience. The present study aimed to evaluate a placement preparation program for student dietitians and to assess the impact on self-rated confidence with respect to commencing placements.
The present study is part of a design-based research approach that involves students in a cyclic enquiry to evaluate and improve curricula. Nutrition and Dietetics students at an Australian university participated in a 1-week mandatory workshop - Pre-Placement week (PrePW), N = 98 students: in 2015 (n = 54) and 2016 (n = 44). An online survey was conducted before and after PrePW using a five-point Likert scale (1 = not confident; 5 = very confident) to assess self-rated confidence to commence placements. Mean (SD) scores were calculated. Paired and independent t-tests evaluated within- and between-group differences, respectively.
Before PrePW, the mean (SD) for student confidence to commence placements overall (in all areas of practise) was 'somewhat confident' [2.9 (0.6) in 2015 and 3.0 (0.7) in 2016]. Students were least confident to commence Clinical Practice [2015: 2.5 (0.6); 2016: 2.8 (0.6)] compared to Food Service Management (FSM) [2015: 3.2 (0.9); 2016: 3.1 (0.9)] and Community and Public Health Nutrition (CPHN) [2015: 3.3 (0.9); 2016: 3.2 (0.8)]. Student feedback from PrePW 2015 was used to change the curriculum and PrePW program. The 2016 students reported significantly greater confidence within all areas of practice: Clinical Practice [3.4 (0.6)], FSM [3.7 (0.6)] and CPHN [3.8 (0.6)], including confidence to commence placements overall [3.6 (0.6)] (P < 0.05).
Design-based research provides a useful framework for improvement to curricula and, in this case, was successful in enhancing student confidence in preparation for professional placement.
学生的信心是成功完成专业实习的重要因素。本研究旨在评估针对学生营养师的实习准备计划，并评估其对开始实习时自我评估的信心的影响。
本研究是基于设计的研究方法的一部分，该方法涉及学生对课程进行循环评估和改进。澳大利亚一所大学的营养与饮食学生参加了为期一周的强制性研讨会-实习前一周（PrePW），共有 98 名学生参加：2015 年（n = 54）和 2016 年（n = 44）。在 PrePW 之前和之后，使用五点李克特量表（1 = 没有信心；5 = 非常有信心）进行了在线调查，以评估开始实习时的自我评估信心。计算平均值（SD）得分。配对和独立 t 检验分别评估了组内和组间差异。
在 PrePW 之前，总体而言（在所有实践领域），学生开始实习的信心平均值（SD）为“有些信心”[2015 年为 2.9（0.6），2016 年为 3.0（0.7）]。学生对开始临床实践的信心最低[2015 年：2.5（0.6）；2016 年：2.8（0.6）]，而对食品服务管理（FSM）[2015 年：3.2（0.9）；2016 年：3.1（0.9）]和社区和公共卫生营养（CPHN）[2015 年：3.3（0.9）；2016 年：3.2（0.8）]的信心较低。来自 2015 年 PrePW 的学生反馈用于更改课程和 PrePW 计划。2016 年的学生在所有实践领域的信心均有显着提高：临床实践[3.4（0.6）]，FSM[3.7（0.6）]和 CPHN[3.8（0.6）]，包括对总体开始实习的信心[3.6（0.6）]（P <0.05）。
基于设计的研究为课程改进提供了有用的框架，在这种情况下，成功地提高了学生对专业实习准备的信心。
