ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Dietitians’ attitudes toward continuing professional development in Poland: barriers, conditions of acceptance
and implications for health policy
More details
Hide details
1
Zakład Edukacji i Badań w Naukach o Zdrowiu, Warszawski Uniwersytet Medyczny, Polska
These authors had equal contribution to this work
Submission date: 2026-03-26
Acceptance date: 2026-06-03
Publication date: 2026-06-22
Corresponding author
Mariusz Jaworski
Zakład Edukacji i Badań w Naukach o Zdrowiu, Warszawski Uniwersytet Medyczny, ul. Litewska 14/16, 00-581 Warszawa, Polska
Rozprawy Społeczne/Social Dissertations 2026;20(1):154-168
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Abstract: To assess dietitians’ attitudes toward the potential introduction of a continuing
professional development system and identify barriers and determinants of its acceptance,
with implications for health policy. Material and methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 646 dietitians.
The questionnaire addressed employment status, professional experience, educational
activity, attitudes toward continuing professional development, and perceived barriers. Results: Most respondents (71.2%) supported the potential introduction of a formal
continuing professional development system. The main barriers were high training costs
(92.9%), low quality of available courses (52.5%), and difficulties combining work with
education (51.9%). Respondents emphasized the need for training subsidies, greater
access to online formats, and quality standardization. Some also expressed concerns about
restricted access to the profession. Conclusions: The findings show a discrepancy between support for continuing professional
development and barriers to implementation. Any future system should include funding
mechanisms, quality assurance, and flexible organizational formats.
REFERENCES (20)
1.
Aleo, G., Pagnucci, N., Walsh, N., Watson, R., Lang, D., Kearns, T., White, M., Fitzgerald, C. (2024). The effectiveness of continuing professional development for the residential long-term care workforce: A systematic review. Nurse Education Today, 137, 106161.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt....
2.
Ali, S., Sethi, A., Soltani, A., Nazar, Z. (2025). Impact of continuing professional development (CPD) on patient outcomes: A systematic scoping review. BMC Medical Education, 25(1), 1284.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909....
3.
Cunningham, S., Lowe, R., Footer, C., Oo, H. W. M., Omoding, H., Kovalchuk, O., Zehra, N., Bachani, A. M. (2024). Assessing global access to continuing professional development for rehabilitation professionals: A mixed methods study of current practices and perceived needs. BMJ Open, 14(11), e089079.
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjope....
4.
Davis, A. M., Vogelzang, J. L., Affenito, S. G. (2023). The shortage of registered dietitians or nutritionists with a terminal degree: A call to action for the profession. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 123(4), 569-575.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand....
5.
Erickson, N., Sullivan, E. S., Kalliostra, M., Laviano, A., Wesseling, J. (2023). Nutrition care is an integral part of patient-centred medical care: A European consensus. Medical Oncology, 40(4), 112.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032....
6.
European Federation of the Associations of Dietitians (EFAD). (2016). Registration, regulation and lifelong learning of dietitians: EFAD report. Pobrane z:
https://www.efad.org (data dostępu: 22.03.2026).
7.
Giroux, I., Laroche-Nantel, R., Shaw, J., Murphy, J., Madarasz, W., Adler, J., Smith, M. A., Tsang, D., Beber, S., Bailey, L., Tyerman, J. (2025). Exploring registered dietitians’ contributions and educational needs in primary care: Insights for health leaders. Healthcare Management Forum, 38(4), 356-361.
https://doi.org/10.1177/084047....
8.
Gonzalez, A. L., Lynch, P. A., Dorner, B., Arnebjerg, M. B. (2023). Historical perspective and current state review: Advancing lifelong learning and continuing professional education in nutrition and dietetics to expand opportunities, equity, access, and future transformations. Dietetics, 2(4), 321-333.
https://doi.org/10.3390/dietet....
9.
Hark, L. A., Deen, D. (2017). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Interprofessional education in nutrition as an essential component of medical education. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 117(7), 1104-1113.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand....
10.
Krobot, M., Jančeková, K., Hawk, V. H., Zelenková, V., Kapounová, Z. (2025). Challenges in delivering nutrition care perceived by hospital dietitians in the Czech Republic: A qualitative study. BMJ Open, 15, e101787.
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjope....
11.
McManus, C. R., Barkoukis, H. D., Burns, A. C., Ricelli, O., McWhorter, J. W., Harris, S. R. (2023). Preparing registered dietitian nutritionists for leadership in culinary medicine: Opportunities, barriers, and alternatives in registered dietitian nutritionist education and training. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 123(6), 865-870.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand....
12.
Mitchell, H., Porter, J. (2016). The cost-effectiveness of identifying and treating malnutrition in hospitals: A systematic review. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 29(2), 156-164.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.12....
13.
Polskie Towarzystwo Dietetyki. (2026). Projekt ustawy o zawodzie dietetyka i samorządzie zawodowym dietetyków. Pobrane z:
https://ptd.org.pl/zawod-diete... (data dostępu: 22.03.2026).
14.
Rogers, D., Griswold, K., Sauer, K. L., Abbay, E., Coufal, A., Eastman, W., Lawson, K., Slack, D., Sulik, B. (2021). Entry-level registered dietitian and dietetic technician, registered practice today: Results from the 2020 Commission on Dietetic Registration entry-level dietetics practice audit. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 121(2), 330-378.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand....
15.
Sejm Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej. (2026). Parlamentarny Zespół ds. ustawowego uregulowania zawodu dietetyka i utworzenia samorządu zawodowego dietetyków – posiedzenia zespołu. Pobrane z:
https://www.sejm.gov.pl/sejm10... (data dostępu: 22.03.2026).
16.
Schuetz, P., Sulo, S., Walzer, S., Vollmer, L., Brunton, C., Kaegi-Braun, N., Stanga, Z., Mueller, B., Gomes, F. (2021). Cost savings associated with nutritional support in medical inpatients: An economic model based on data from a systematic review of randomised trials. BMJ Open, 11(7), e046402.
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjope....
17.
Słoma-Krześlak, M., Mogiłko, N. (2025). Status zawodu dietetyka a implementacja żywienia klinicznego w szpitalach: analiza barier systemowych i paradoksu ekonomicznego – badanie ankietowe. Postępy Żywienia Klinicznego, 20, 75-82.
https://doi.org/10.5603/pzk.10....
18.
Soguel, L., Lapointe, A., Burnand, B., Desroches, S. (2024). Descriptive and content analysis of questionnaires used to assess evidence-based practice among dietitians: A systematic review. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 124(1), 80-101.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand....
19.
Van Horn, L. T., Wright, L., Arikawa, A. Y., Sealey-Potts, C., Hamadi, H. (2023). Determinant factors associated with the use of evidence-based dietetics practice among registered dietitian nutritionists. Nutrition & Dietetics, 80(3), 262-272.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1747-0....
20.
Zaher, S., Alhussaini, A. S., Abdulghani, R. Z., Azzouni, R. E., Aalouh, S. K., Alharbi, S. M., Albukhari, S. (2025). Evaluation of dietitians’ adherence to nutrition support guidelines or protocols in Saudi hospitals and identification of barriers to compliance. Frontiers in Nutrition, 12, 1675530.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2....