(P09-003-23) The Sociodemographic Profiles & Practice Behaviors of Critical Care Dietitians in the United States

Objectives: While a dedicated critical care Registered Dietitian (RD) has been found to significantly improve nutrient provision for critically ill patients, RD’s continue to face a variety of challenges in implementing timely and adequate nutrition support recommendations. This survey aims to characterize the sociodemographic, training and practice profiles of critical care RD’s in the United States and understand the barriers they face in practice.

Methods: A 58-item quantitative survey designed by RD’s was disseminated through social media and professional channels between October 2022 and January 2023 to eligible critical care RD’s. Data were collected on sociodemographic characteristics, protein practice behavior and perceived barriers and facilitators to nutrition support implementation. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis and narrative synthesis for open-ended questions.

Results: 153 RD’s in the United States participated in the survey. On average, participants worked as an inpatient RD for 9.2 (8.5) years and a critical care RD for 6.3 (6.5) years in mostly community (35%) and/or urban (31%) settings. 50% (n=76) of participants hold an advanced certification with 75% (n=57) being the Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (CNSC) certification. While there was no association between RD’s having an advanced degree and a higher income (p=0.67), a significant association was observed between having an advanced certification and a higher income (p=0.003) Although 65% of participants reported having adequate employer-provided access to educational resources on critical care nutrition (e.g. peer-reviewed journals, continuing education), 72% reported having inadequate work time to review or implement updated evidence-based recommendations.

Conclusions: Although the upcoming 2024 requirements stipulate obtaining a graduate degree as a prerequisite for RD licensure, dietitian reports suggest that an advanced certification is more likely to result in higher compensation. A variety of practice-related barriers exist that inhibit RD’s from sourcing and implementing updated research, and should be explored further to improve protein delivery and the overall professional experience of the RD.

Funding Sources: There are no financial conflicts of interest to report. This research did not receive external funding.