Dietitians as innovators: a deductive-inductive qualitative analysis.

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Innovation Studies
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• Frontline health professionals, including Registered Dietitians (RDs), are crucial for driving innovation in healthcare.
• While RD-led initiatives show clinical and financial benefits, their perceptions of innovation and their role as innovators are underexplored.
• Understanding RD perspectives is key to fostering innovation within the dietetics field.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how Registered Dietitians define innovation.
• To identify who Registered Dietitians perceive as innovative.
• To assess Registered Dietitians' preparedness for innovation and the impact of work context on their innovative capacity.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with Registered Dietitians (RDs) employed in Canada.
• Deductive-inductive approach to qualitative analysis, initially applying Scott & Bruce's Path Model of Individual Innovation.
• Analysis focused on understanding RD definitions, perceptions, preparedness, and contextual influences on innovation.

Main Results:

• Respondents demonstrated a pro-innovation disposition but held gendered views on innovation.
• A significant number of RDs felt their education did not adequately prepare them for workplace innovation.
• Scott & Bruce's model components were supported, with themes including benefits, dietetics-specific factors, healthcare system, technology, and individual characteristics emerging.

Conclusions:

• The study confirms concerns regarding gendered perceptions of innovation within the dietetics profession.
• Registered Dietitians enter the workforce feeling unprepared to be innovative, highlighting a gap in educational preparation.
• While the theoretical model was applicable, contextual factors presented unique challenges to RD innovation beyond the model's scope.