TY  - BOOK
T1  - Status of employment, salaries, benefits and work conditions of nutritionist-dietitians in the Philippines
A1  - Jamorabo, Adela M.
A2  - Leocadio, Corazon G.
LA  - English
UL  - https://tuklas.up.edu.ph/Record/UP-99796217612423573
AB  - A total of 935 registered nutritionist-dietitians (N-D's) all over the country were surveyed to determine the status of employment of nutritionist-dietitians. From those who were employed in nutrition related jobs, data on salaries, benefits and work conditions were collected. Findings revealed that N-D's in nutrition-related jobs largely worked in hospitals, community nutrition agencies and food service. Few engaged in research, teaching and "others". Majority were relatively young (26-30 years old), single and did not pursue advanced degree. More than half took their present job because the job was related to educational preparation and to enhance professional growth and advancement. Two-thirds were employed in the government service and the rest were in the private sector. Most of the respondents in both sectors were holding permanent status of appointments. The total salaries received by N-D's were generally below P 2000 considered the poverty line. Respondents in food service, research and "others" received significantly higher basic and total monthly salaries than those in hospitals and community nutrition. Respondents in hospitals and community nutrition receive comparable basic and total monthly salaries. Respondents in food service received the highest living allowance among the different areas of practice. The low salary of N-D's was compensated by fringe benefits enjoyed by the respondents namely financial benefits, health and medical benefits, professional service and benefits and recreational/ social/ athletic benefits. However, the type and number of fringe benefits varied among respondents in the different areas of practice. Those employed in research enjoyed the most number of recreational/ social/ athletic benefits while those in teaching enjoyed the most number of professional services and benefits. Those in food service enjoyed the most number of health and medical benefits. Four types of medical benefits enjoyed by the majority of respondents in all areas of practice were sick leave, vacation leave, medicare benefits and maternity leave. Financial benefits enjoyed by the respondents did not differ significantly. The private sector provided more total fringe benefits to respondents in hospitals, community nutrition and "others". Some respondents augmented their income by selling foodstuffs, buying and selling goods and engaging in part-time jobs. Level of education and length of service in the present job were important factors in the salaries and benefits of nutritionist-dietitians. The higher the educational attainment and the number of years in present job, the higher the total salaries received by the respondents. The longer the length of service in the job, the higher the number of fringe benefits received by the respondents. Most of the respondent had regular working hours. Food service N-D's worked the longest hours per week while those in teaching worked the shortest number of hours per week. Few of the respondents worked outside their regular working days. Very few of those in teaching, research, community nutrition and "others" worked during holidays but more than half of those in hospitals and food service did. Majority of those in food service received holiday compensation. Majority of hospital dietitians in the private sector were given holiday compensation but most of those in the government were not compensated for working on holidays. Regarding the problems/difficulties encountered by most respondents, low salary, no visible opportunity for promotions and poor/inadequate work facilities were cited as the most significant. Majority of the respondents expressed the need to upgrade their salary scale in accordance with the present cost of living and to improve their job performance through additional training/studies in their respective areas of practice. The overall assessment of present job as expressed by the respondents showed variation among nutritionist-dietitians. Respondents in the "other" category, teaching, research and foodservice generally expressed satisfaction with their jobs attributed to higher salaries and allowances and total number of fringe benefits they enjoyed compared to those in hospitals and community nutrition. Almost equal proportions of hospital dietitians satisfied and dissatisfied with their jobs. Community nutritionist-dietitians were generally not satisfied with their jobs because of low salaries and fewer number of total fringe benefits provided compared to those in the other areas of practice. In view of these findings, the immediate recommendations proposed were: 1. upgrading the salary levels and implementing a standard starting salary for nutritionist-dietitians to be worked-out through legislation with the support of other professionals and organizations in order to boost the status of N-D's jobs, 2. defining competencies and standards of practice for all areas of practice by the professional organization and the Professional Regulation Commission Board of Nutrition and Dietetics, and improvement of competencies of practitioners through continuing education programs and activities that are practice-oriented or through advanced education, 3. improvement of self image of N-D's on an individual basis and as a group to give proper perspective to their profession, 4. strict implementation of PD 1286 by the Professional Regulation Commission with a strong pursuit from the professional organization to solve understaffing and to employ registered N-D's in positions requiring them, and 5. additional research to be pursued in areas not covered by the study to further generate data for the profession like manpower supply and demand for N-D's here and abroad, exploring other areas of employment for N-D's other than those mentioned in the study, ways of marketing the skills of N-D's in different practice settings and assessment of continuing education needs of professional N-D's based on practitioners perceived needs to improve competence.
NO  - Thesis (M.S.)--University of the Philippines, Diliman.
NO  - Mimeographed.
CN  - LG 995 1986 N87 J36
KW  - Dietitians : Philippines : Salaries, pensions, etc.
KW  - Dietitians : Employment : Philippines.
KW  - Nutritionists : Employment : Philippines.
KW  - Nutritionists : Salaries, pensions, etc.
ER  -