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COMMENTARY
We are constantly going through change in our personal and professional lives. While we may not always be aware of change as it happens, it often brings about new paradigms to which we must adjust or become lost in the shuffle. The challenges we encounter create many opportunities to advance the dietetics profession and provide support and resources to members who are facing critical issues, such as competency, recognition of expertise, workplace competition, and salaries. For example, right now the American Dietetic Association (ADA) is restructuring its leadership design and responsibilities, and many are wondering what's next. The ADA House of Delegates (HOD) is becoming more streamlined and more focused on professional issues that impact members and less involved in the day-to-day administration and governance of the Association.
IDENTIFYING THE CHALLENGES
The HOD has identified six major issues facing the ADA membership: salary; competition from, and encroachment by, other health care professionals; recognition of the dietetics professional as the expert in nutrition; competencies, training, and continuing education of the dietetics professional; consumer perception of the dietetics professional; and the ability to provide timely and effective customer service.
Coincidentally, in 2001 the Dietitians in Nutrition Support (DNS) dietetics practice group (DPG) surveyed its members and found that the issues cited most often (Figure 1) closely match the issues identified by the HOD. DNS survey respondents were concerned foremost with financial issues, clinical practice, recognition for expertise, and career viability. Reimbursement was the professional issue cited most often by survey respondents; a small percentage (4%) specified salary as a major issue. Although salary was not a stated primary concern of DNS members, the focus on competency, keeping abreast of evidence-based nutrition practice, and recognition as the nutrition support expert could raise the perceived value of services and hopefully, in turn, have a positive impact on salaries.
According to the DNS survey respondents, the rapidly evolving science and practice of nutrition contribute to the frustration of keeping up to date with research and evidence-based recommendations. This, however, is important, if dietetics profesisonals want to receive recognition as nutrition experts, obtain administrative support for participation in research and on medical and management teams, update professional skills, and maintain competency within their practice areas. Dietetics professionals want to...