Abstract

1. This work was supported by a grant from the National Integrated Food Safety Initiative (Special Emphasis Grant No. 2005-51110-03278) of the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture Abstract Methods • Survey A web-based survey developed by the Technical Support Group of the College of Education and Human Ecology. In the survey, subjects are requested to answer questions about food safety knowledge and continuing educational needs for food safety. Multiple-choice questions and open-end questions are included. • Data collection Data was compiled in MS ExcelTM spreadsheets. Data was transferred to Minitab for statistical analysis Registered dietitians and registered nurses lack awareness and knowledge of Listeria monocytogenes indicating need for continuing educationWei Yuan, Patricia Kendall, Janet Buffer, Gina Geornaras, Lydia Medeiros Figure 1. Responses to the question: How much have you heard about the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes? Figure 2. Responses to the question: How would you rate your understanding of the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes ? Results Objectives • Understanding the knowledge of L. monocytogenes among health professionals. • Educational strategies to be conducted for health professionals based on the information learned from this study. Subjects Registered nurses and registered dietitians who are currently employed to provide service to pregnant women, elderly patients, and/or immune-compromised patients due to cancer, HIV/AIDS, or other diseases. Sixty-two registered nurses and 120 registered dietitians finished this web-based survey. Figure 3. Responses to the question: Listeriosis has most commonly been associated with which kind of food? Figure 4. Responses to the question: Which groups are at high risk of foodborne illness caused by Listeria monocytogenes? Conclusion • Both registered nurses and registered dietitians lack awareness and knowledge of Listeria monocytogenes. • Registered nurses who serve high-risk population groups did not inform them food safety information well. • Both registered nurses and registered dietitians have strong interest in training on food safety and Listeria monocytogenes. Figure 5. Reponses to the question: Have you ever received any specific training on food safety or Listeria monocytogenes? Figure 6. Reponses to the question: Which factor will keep Listeria monocytogenes from growing on foods?