title: Nurses and dietitians differ in food safety information provided to highly susceptible clients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine content, education channels, and motivational factors that influence what health professionals teach about safe food handling to populations who are highly susceptible for foodborne illnesses. To assess the differences in information provided by health professionals to highly susceptible populations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive, cross-sectional, Web-based survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  National convenience sample from across the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  Registered nurses (RNs; n = 232) and registered dietitians (RDs; n = 267).
  
  
  METHODS
  Content, motivation, and education channels used to educate highly susceptible populations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Various nonparametric tests were applied to measure differences. Significance was declared at P < .05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although both RDs and RNs were providing some food safety information to their high-risk clients, RDs had more training than RNs in safe food handling and were more likely to provide comprehensive food safety messages to their highly susceptible clients; however, neither professional type provided consistent food safety information to patients at high risk for foodborne illness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a need for more information about what motivates the health professional to teach safe food handling and a need for a universally adopted, evidence-based practice for teaching safe food handling to patients at high risk for foodborne illness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Nutrition, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buffer
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kendall
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schroeder
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sofos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D054626:Consumer Health Information; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004046:Dietetics; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D059022:Food Safety; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D020407:Internet; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult