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The nutritional knowledge of Australian nurses
Christine Schaller1, Erica L James
1Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Anne Caudle Campus, Bendigo Health Care Group, P.O. Box 126, Bendigo, Vic. 3552, Australia. cschalle@bendigohealth.org.au
Nurse Education Today
|June 11, 2005
Summary
Australian nurses demonstrate low to moderate nutrition knowledge, with older, more experienced nurses scoring higher. Further research is recommended to establish nutrition knowledge standards for the nursing profession.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Nursing Education
Background:
- Sound nutrition is crucial for overall health.
- Nurses play a key role in disseminating nutritional information.
- Limited research quantifies the nutrition knowledge of nurses in Australia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the general nutrition knowledge of nurses in regional Victoria, Australia.
- To identify factors influencing nurses' nutrition knowledge.
- To inform the development of nutrition education standards for nurses.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive, cross-sectional study design was employed.
- 103 nurses, primarily from an acute regional hospital, completed a 48-item general nutrition knowledge questionnaire.
- Data on demographics and educational background were collected.
Main Results:
- The mean nutrition knowledge score among participating nurses was 60.2% (SD = 8.4).
- Higher scores were observed in older nurses, those with more years of experience, and nurses with general training compared to those with a degree.
- Nurses reported frequent requests for nutrition advice and utilized dietitians, colleagues, journals, and health foundation resources.
Conclusions:
- The study indicates a low to moderate level of nutrition knowledge among nurses in regional Victoria.
- Establishing specific nutrition knowledge standards for the Australian nursing profession is recommended.
- Further validation of Australian-specific nutrition knowledge assessment instruments is warranted.