Evaluating the effectiveness of parenteral nutrition education for physicians in a tertiary care hospital.

摘要

Physicians are typically responsible for initiating medical nutrition therapy (MNT), however nutrition education is lacking in medical schools. This study sought to determine if there would be a significant difference in pre and post-test scores of physicians after receiving parenteral nutrition (PN) education. Twenty-five physicians attended a lecture regarding PN and completed a pre and post-test. A paired samples t test showed that there was no statistical difference on the total correct scores (p = .24). A chi-square test showed a significant increase in the number of participants who felt prepared to write a PN prescription and a significant increase in participants' perception of having enough resources to write a PN prescription (p .000). Major limitations to this study include small sample size, short test, insufficient demographic data, and a high attrition rate. More research is needed to better understand how to provide adequate MNT education for physicians.