Exploring the quality of European dietetic practice placements

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the quality of dietetic practice placements in European higher education institutions (HEIs).

Design/methodology/approach

An online questionnaire was used to investigate adherence to the European Dietetic Practice Placement Standards. Supporting documents were assessed against the “Guide to best practice” criteria.

Findings

The questionnaire response rate was 39 out of 67 DIETS2 partners, representing 19 European countries. According to the questionnaire, the majority of HEIs have a formal agreement regarding roles and responsibilities on practice placement. They have clear learning outcomes, policies, standards and procedures to test, approve and monitor practice placements. However, less than half HEIs provide support and training for supervisors. Practice placement documentations from 16 European HEIs were assessed against the 15 “Guide to best practice” criteria. Only 1 HEI met all 15 criteria. The range of the rest HEIs fell between 1-14 criteria, the mean being 10 criteria. The least met criterion concerned appropriate support and guidance for supervisors, which was met by 18.8 per cent of HEIs.

Practical implications

Promoting high-quality practice placements is crucial for the preparation of the dietetic workforce to meet changing societal needs of the dietetic profession, impacting on European nutritional health and productivity.

Originality/value

This study is the first attempt to specifically address quality measures on dietetic practice placements in HEIs across Europe and highlights the issues that need improvement to prepare students for their new roles as dietitians in Europe.

Citation

Markaki, A., Spyridaki, A., Chatzi, V., Joossens, S. and de Looy, A. (2015), "Exploring the quality of European dietetic practice placements", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 45 No. 3, pp. 377-387. https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-10-2014-0094