Utilization of the clinical dietetic technician.

The changing role of the clinical dietitian has resulted in evaluation of the clinical dietetic technician's role. The American Dietetic Association (ADA) has recognized that effective utilization of the dietetic technician will allow continued growth of the dietitian. In 1981, the ADA published Role Delineation for Entry-Level Clinical Dietetics, including responsibilities for the clinical dietetic technician. A revised role delineation which included verification of actual role performance to the defined role was published by the ADA in 1984, subsequent to the completion of this research report. This research was conducted to verify the degree to which clinical dietetic technicians were performing tasks identified for their role, to identify educational deficiencies and/or excesses, and to analyze demographic and other descriptive data obtained. Telephone and mail questionnaires were used to obtain data from dietetic technicians selected by systematic sampling from the ADA listing of 914 technician members. Responsibilities outlined in the ADA role delineation study were the basis for the tasks utilized in the survey of the clinical dietetic technicians' performance and training. The mean percentage of tasks performed indicated agreement between the defined role and actual performance of clinical dietetic technicians.

Work function analysis of vegetarian entrée production.

Data on labor time for food production can be used as an effective management tool. It is essential for foodservice managers to know how labor time is being used (1). A continuous time study was conducted to determine total labor time for the production of eight vegetarian entrées in a hospital foodservice system. Two work areas were observed: the ingredient assembly area and the cooks' production area. Times were recorded by work function to identify how labor time was distributed. Results showed (a) observed frequency for each work function, (b) time expended in seconds per portion for each work function, (c) percentage distribution of labor time by work function, (d) total time for each employee involved in entrée production, and (e) percentage of total time in which each employee was involved in the production of each entrée. Total labor time varied by type of entrée, ranging from 39.97 to 19.33 seconds per portion. Entrées with the highest labor time required the largest amount of hand labor. A one-way analysis of variance indicated significant differences in mean labor time among the eight vegetarian entrées for direct labor time (p = .0009), and total labor time (p = .0018). No significant differences were found among entrées for indirect labor or delay time.

Performance of task functions by A.D.A. dietetic technicians.

To meet the professional demands of their positions, dietitians must delegate less demanding responsibilities and routine tasks to educationally qualified dietetic technicians. This research was conducted to determine the degree to which A.D.A. qualified dietetic technicians were performing identified tasks.

Delegation of functions by dietitians to dietetic technicians.

Questionnaires were sent to 197 randomly selected hospitals in the continental United States. Replies were used as a basis for determinign the degree to which dietitians are willing to delegate tasks to dietetic technicians. No significant difference was found between the percentage of task functions clinical dietitians were willing to delegate to clinical dietetic techncians and the number that administrative dietitians were willing to delegate to administrative dietetic technicians. Dietitians who serve in both capacities are willing to delegate a significantly higher percentage of ther clinical task functions than their administrative functions. Comparing dietitians who graduated before 1968 with those graduating in 1968 or later, no significant difference was found between the two groups of administrative dietitians; however, the clinical dietitians who graduated in 1968 or later were willing to delegate significantly more duties. No significant difference was found in the average number of task functions dietitians working in different size hospitals were willing to delegate. For task functions which 33 per cent or more of dietitians were unwilling to delegate, it appears that those who do not feel this would be ideal also feel it is impractical. Dietitians who have performed a given function do not appear more or less willing to delegate it than those who have not performed that task. Thus, while a substantial number of dietitians were willing to delegate to the dietetic technician, there was also reservation as to the type of task functions, some of which the dietitians apparently feel should remain a function of the dietitian's role. This is especially true of the administrative dietitian.