Employers' perceptions of dietetic team members' roles

The emergence of supportive personnel in the dietetic field has introduced a question of the appropriate role of each of the different dietetic team members. Since the dietetic technician works closely with the dietitian, a clear understanding of the role of each is necessary if they are to be complementary. This article presented general information obtained from a study of the roles of dietetic team members and potential for the dietetic technician, as perceived by employers. Data from 30 hospitals and 35 long-term care facilities in the north central district of Georgia indicated that dietetic technicians are currently underutilized in both settings. Representatives in hospitals perceived greater potential for the dietetic technician than did those in long-term care facilities, although employers in both settings lacked perceptions of role differentiation among the three members of the dietetic team. An approach to differentiating the role of the dietetic technician from that of the dietitian was presented. This approach could diminish role conflict between the dietitian and the dietetic technician and allow the dietitian to perform the functions of the professional with expertise in nutrition.