Contribution of Training Strategies to the Type of Service Delivery of Nutritionists Exiting TVET Institutions in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya

Abstract

This study focuses on the factors contributing the type of service delivery by nutritionists exiting TVET institutions in Uasin Gishu County of Kenya. Market demands for nutritionists are expected to be met by a globally competitive and quality education, training and research (GOK, Sessional paper No 10 of 2012 on Vision 2030). This concept has been well documented in the syllabus by the professional body entrusted with the stipulation of standards in the training of nutritionists in Kenya, Kenya Nutritionists and Dietician’s Institute KNDI which envisions the application of basic social sciences principles in the management and prevention of Non Communicable Diseases NCDs or nutritional disorders, an acknowledged global challenge. The training of nutritionists is ideally meant to underscore the equipping of these trainees as change agents who are well versed with requisite skills, attitudes and knowledge. However, empirical data on how training strategies of nutritionists contribute to their service delivery has not been documented. This study addresses this gap. This study is Sequential, mixed methods of explanatory research employing a cross-sectional survey along with qualitative inquiry tools of in depth interviews that investigate the training of nutritionists in Kenya. To measure curriculum implementation, a survey was conducted on clinical and community nutritionists within Uasin Gishu County in order to evaluate their perceived need for training in nutrition. An in depth interview with key informers comprising of one community nutrition administrator and four senior nutritionists working in a teaching and referral hospital within the county were engaged to corroborate the data collected from the survey and measure service delivery. SPSS software package was used to compute quantitative data. This study established that Curriculum implementation process in the training of nutritionists needs to be readjusted to in cooper ate interdisciplinary models that address themselves to a dynamic job market that is complex.