The purpose of this study was to determine whether dietitians and registered dietitians at elderly facilities can acquire and actually utilize in their work duties computer skills learned at workshops which are required for database generation in nutritional care and management.
We first assessed the computer skills necessary for database generation in nutritional care and management. To this end, we held a workshop aimed at increasing computer skills that targeted dietitians and registered dietitians working at elderly facilities. We assessed the extent to which participants acquired computer skills, the degree to which the acquired skills were used in work duties, and any requests for follow-up training.
Fourteen registered dietitians from 12 facilities participated in the workshop. Among the 10 skills required for database generation, the item for which the largest number of participants already had the skill was copying files (3 participants), whereas none of the participants had skills relating to serial numbers, PHONETIC function, and selection from lists. In a post-workshop survey, all 14 participants answered that they had grasped the 9 skills other than copying files. After the workshop, 10 of 14 participants indicated that they would like to use skills related to basic data entry (serial numbers, DATEDIF function, TODAY function, and PHONETIC function) in their work duties. In a follow-up survey conducted three weeks later, 9 facilities had begun generating databases. There was no relationship between the use of pre-workshop nutritional management software and post-workshop database generation. The 10 facilities, including the 9 which began database generation, desired follow-up training.
Our findings suggest that workshops for acquiring computer skills for database generation in nutritional care and management are effective.

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