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Experiential Learning and Educational Competence Among Registered Dietitians in Japanese Hospitals: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.

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Title: Experiential Learning and Educational Competence Among Registered Dietitians in Japanese Hospitals: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.
Authors: Kambara C; Health Sciences Studies, Department of Regional Development, Faculty of Regional Development, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan.
Source: Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association [J Hum Nutr Diet] 2026 Aug; Vol. 39 (4), pp. e70311.
Publication Type: Journal Article
Language: English
Journal Info: Publisher: Wiley on behalf of The British Dietetic Association Ltd., [c1988- Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 8904840 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1365-277X (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 09523871 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Hum Nutr Diet Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Original Publication: [Oxford] : Wiley on behalf of The British Dietetic Association Ltd., [c1988-
MeSH Terms: Nutritionists*/education , Clinical Competence*/statistics & numerical data , Dietetics*/education , Problem-Based Learning*, Humans ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Japan ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Hospitals ; Female ; Male ; Reproducibility of Results ; Adult ; Mentors ; East Asian People
Abstract: Background: This study aimed to clarify the relationship between experiential learning and educational competence-defined as the ability to mentor students, newly employed staff, junior colleagues, and subordinates-among registered dietitians working in Japanese hospitals.
Methods: An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted via mail between January and February 2025, targeting registered dietitians employed at 5132 hospitals nationwide with 100 or more beds. A total of 2383 responses were received (response rate: 27.5%), of which 2200 respondents with mentoring experience were included in the analysis. Data were measured using scales for experiential learning and educational competence. The reliability of each scale was confirmed using Cronbach's α, and the relationship between the two was examined using Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression analysis.
Results: Cronbach's α coefficients were 0.92 for the experiential learning scale and 0.93 for the educational competence scale. A moderate positive correlation was observed between educational competence and experiential learning (r = 0.63), with subfactor correlations ranging from 0.36 to 0.57. In multivariable regression analysis, experiential learning was significantly associated with educational competence across all domains; among its components, concrete experience showed the highest association (standardised β = 0.40). The coefficient of determination for the model was 0.46.
Conclusion: Among hospital-based registered dietitians in Japan, experiential learning is positively associated with educational competence, with concrete experience appearing to have a particularly strong association. Establishing an educational system that promotes experiential learning and structured reflection may contribute to the development of educational competence.
(© 2026 British Dietetic Association.)
References: K. Maeda, F. Egashira, J. Ueshima, Y. Horikoshi, and S. Kamoshita, Japanese Working Group on Integrated Nutrition for Dysphagic People (JWIND)., “A Survey of the Nutrition Care Process in Japanese Acute Care Hospitals Using a Nationwide Web‐Based Questionnaire,” Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition 33 (2024): 515–528, https://doi.org/10.6133/apjcn.202412_33(4).0006.
“The Japan Dietetic Association. Professional Development,” accessed April 27, 2026, https://www.dietitian.or.jp/english/?utm_source=chatgpt.com.
A. F. A. Tsani, Susetyowati, T. Arjuna, R. Nur Hidayah, F. F. Dieny, and F. A. A. Putri, “The Development of Nutrition and Dietetics Education and Accreditation System in Indonesia and Various Countries: A Narrative Review,” Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition 34 (2025): 531–541, https://doi.org/10.6133/apjcn.202508_34(4).0004.
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, “Guidelines for Training of New Nursing Colleague,” [revised version] [in Japanese]. mhlw.go, accessed September 12, 2025, https://www.mhlw.go.jp/file/06-Seisakujouhou-10800000-Iseikyoku/0000049466_1.pdf.
Z. Gong, L. M. Van Swol, and X. Wang, “Study on the Relationship Between Nurses’ Mentoring Relationship and Organizational Commitment,” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19 (2022): 13362, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013362.
T. Lemetti, A. Pakarinen, L. Salminen, H. Virtanen, and T. Haapa, “Instruments Assessing Nurse Educator's Competence: A Scoping Review,” Nursing Open 10 (2023): 1985–2002, https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1479.
C. Kambara, “Defining and Measuring Educational Competence of Hospital‐Based Registered Dietitians in Japan: Development and Validation of a Self‐Assessment Scale,” Educ Health 39 (2026): 28–36, https://doi.org/10.62694/efh.2026.473.
D. A. Kolb, Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development (Pearson Education, 2015).
J. Fowler, “Experiential Learning and Its Facilitation,” Nurse Education Today 28 (2008): 427–433, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2007.07.007.
M. Yoshimura, T. Saiki, R. Imafuku, K. Fujisaki, and Y. Suzuki, “Experiential Learning of Overnight Home Care by Medical Trainees for Professional Development: An Exploratory Study,” International Journal of Medical Education 11 (2020): 146–154, https://doi.org/10.5116/ijme.5f01.c78f.
D. A. Kolb, R. E. Boyatzis, and C. Mainemelis, “Experiential Learning Theory: Previous Research and New Directions.” in Perspectives on Thinking, Learning, and Cognitive Styles, edited by R. J. Sternberg and L. F. Zhang (Routledge, 2014), 227–248.
M. Takase, T. Imai, and C. Uemura, “Development and Examination of the Psychometric Properties of the Learning Experience Scale in Nursing,” Nursing & Health Sciences 18 (2016): 196–202, https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.12244.
T. Shimazu, “The Development of a Public Health Nurses Precepting Experiential Learning Scale,” [Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese Journal of Public Health 65 (2018): 377–385, https://doi.org/10.11236/jph.65.8_377.
K. Tanaka and D. Son, “Experiential Learning for Junior Residents as a Part of Community‐Based Medical Education in Japan,” Education for Primary Care 30 (2019): 282–288, https://doi.org/10.1080/14739879.2019.1625288.
C. Kambara, “Psychometric Properties of a Workplace Experiential Learning Scale Among Hospital‐Based Registered Dietitians in Japan,” Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics 39 (2026): e70251, https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.70251.
Japan Medical Association, “Japan Medical Analysis Platform,” accessed September 19, 2024, https://jmap.jp/facilities/search/page:3.
P. M. Podsakoff, S. B. MacKenzie, J. Y. Lee, and N. P. Podsakoff, “Common Method Biases in Behavioral Research: A Critical Review of the Literature and Recommended Remedies,” Journal of Applied Psychology 88 (2003): 879–903, https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.88.5.879.
S. Sood, K. Peters, and L. Luck, “Nursing Students’ Experiences of Mentorship During Their Clinical Placement — an Integrative Review,” Collegian 33 (2026): 223–231, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2026.03.006.
K. H. Kim and S. Shin, “Factors Influencing Preceptor Nurses’ Clinical Teaching Behavior: A Cross‐Sectional Study,” Nurse Education Today 146 (2025): 106555, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2024.106555.
J. Unsworth, C. Oldman, J. Atkinson, et al., “The Delineation of Advanced‐Level Practice Within UK District Nursing: A Cross‐Sectional Comparative Study Before and After Policy Implementation,” International Nursing Review 72 (2025): e70091, https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.70091.
K. J. Hong and H. J. Yoon, “‘Effect of Nurses’ Preceptorship Experience in Educating New Graduate Nurses and Preceptor Training Courses on Clinical Teaching Behavior,” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18 (2021): 975, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18030975.
T. Kondo, N. Takahashi, M. Aomatsu, and H. Nishigori, “To Teach Is to Learn Twice, Revisited: A Qualitative Study of How Residents Learn Through Teaching in Clinical Environments,” BMC Medical Education 24 (2024): 829, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05814-3.
Grant Information: JP23K12830 Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI; JP26K06355 Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: educational competence; experiential learning; hospital; registered dietitian
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20260713 Date Completed: 20260713 Latest Revision: 20260726
Update Code: 20260726
PubMed Central ID: PMC13358176
DOI: 10.1111/jhn.70311
PMID: 42438232
Database: MEDLINE
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  Data: Background: This study aimed to clarify the relationship between experiential learning and educational competence-defined as the ability to mentor students, newly employed staff, junior colleagues, and subordinates-among registered dietitians working in Japanese hospitals.<br />Methods: An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted via mail between January and February 2025, targeting registered dietitians employed at 5132 hospitals nationwide with 100 or more beds. A total of 2383 responses were received (response rate: 27.5%), of which 2200 respondents with mentoring experience were included in the analysis. Data were measured using scales for experiential learning and educational competence. The reliability of each scale was confirmed using Cronbach's α, and the relationship between the two was examined using Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression analysis.<br />Results: Cronbach's α coefficients were 0.92 for the experiential learning scale and 0.93 for the educational competence scale. A moderate positive correlation was observed between educational competence and experiential learning (r = 0.63), with subfactor correlations ranging from 0.36 to 0.57. In multivariable regression analysis, experiential learning was significantly associated with educational competence across all domains; among its components, concrete experience showed the highest association (standardised β = 0.40). The coefficient of determination for the model was 0.46.<br />Conclusion: Among hospital-based registered dietitians in Japan, experiential learning is positively associated with educational competence, with concrete experience appearing to have a particularly strong association. Establishing an educational system that promotes experiential learning and structured reflection may contribute to the development of educational competence.<br /> (© 2026 British Dietetic Association.)
– Name: Ref
  Label: References
  Group: RefInfo
  Data: K. Maeda, F. Egashira, J. Ueshima, Y. Horikoshi, and S. Kamoshita, Japanese Working Group on Integrated Nutrition for Dysphagic People (JWIND)., “A Survey of the Nutrition Care Process in Japanese Acute Care Hospitals Using a Nationwide Web‐Based Questionnaire,” Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition 33 (2024): 515–528, https://doi.org/10.6133/apjcn.202412_33(4).0006.<br />“The Japan Dietetic Association. Professional Development,” accessed April 27, 2026, https://www.dietitian.or.jp/english/?utm_source=chatgpt.com.<br />A. F. A. Tsani, Susetyowati, T. Arjuna, R. Nur Hidayah, F. F. Dieny, and F. A. A. Putri, “The Development of Nutrition and Dietetics Education and Accreditation System in Indonesia and Various Countries: A Narrative Review,” Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition 34 (2025): 531–541, https://doi.org/10.6133/apjcn.202508_34(4).0004.<br />Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, “Guidelines for Training of New Nursing Colleague,” [revised version] [in Japanese]. mhlw.go, accessed September 12, 2025, https://www.mhlw.go.jp/file/06-Seisakujouhou-10800000-Iseikyoku/0000049466_1.pdf.<br />Z. Gong, L. M. Van Swol, and X. Wang, “Study on the Relationship Between Nurses’ Mentoring Relationship and Organizational Commitment,” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19 (2022): 13362, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013362.<br />T. Lemetti, A. Pakarinen, L. Salminen, H. Virtanen, and T. Haapa, “Instruments Assessing Nurse Educator's Competence: A Scoping Review,” Nursing Open 10 (2023): 1985–2002, https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1479.<br />C. Kambara, “Defining and Measuring Educational Competence of Hospital‐Based Registered Dietitians in Japan: Development and Validation of a Self‐Assessment Scale,” Educ Health 39 (2026): 28–36, https://doi.org/10.62694/efh.2026.473.<br />D. A. Kolb, Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development (Pearson Education, 2015).<br />J. Fowler, “Experiential Learning and Its Facilitation,” Nurse Education Today 28 (2008): 427–433, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2007.07.007.<br />M. Yoshimura, T. Saiki, R. Imafuku, K. Fujisaki, and Y. Suzuki, “Experiential Learning of Overnight Home Care by Medical Trainees for Professional Development: An Exploratory Study,” International Journal of Medical Education 11 (2020): 146–154, https://doi.org/10.5116/ijme.5f01.c78f.<br />D. A. Kolb, R. E. Boyatzis, and C. Mainemelis, “Experiential Learning Theory: Previous Research and New Directions.” in Perspectives on Thinking, Learning, and Cognitive Styles, edited by R. J. Sternberg and L. F. Zhang (Routledge, 2014), 227–248.<br />M. Takase, T. Imai, and C. Uemura, “Development and Examination of the Psychometric Properties of the Learning Experience Scale in Nursing,” Nursing & Health Sciences 18 (2016): 196–202, https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.12244.<br />T. Shimazu, “The Development of a Public Health Nurses Precepting Experiential Learning Scale,” [Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese Journal of Public Health 65 (2018): 377–385, https://doi.org/10.11236/jph.65.8_377.<br />K. Tanaka and D. Son, “Experiential Learning for Junior Residents as a Part of Community‐Based Medical Education in Japan,” Education for Primary Care 30 (2019): 282–288, https://doi.org/10.1080/14739879.2019.1625288.<br />C. Kambara, “Psychometric Properties of a Workplace Experiential Learning Scale Among Hospital‐Based Registered Dietitians in Japan,” Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics 39 (2026): e70251, https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.70251.<br />Japan Medical Association, “Japan Medical Analysis Platform,” accessed September 19, 2024, https://jmap.jp/facilities/search/page:3.<br />P. M. Podsakoff, S. B. MacKenzie, J. Y. Lee, and N. P. Podsakoff, “Common Method Biases in Behavioral Research: A Critical Review of the Literature and Recommended Remedies,” Journal of Applied Psychology 88 (2003): 879–903, https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.88.5.879.<br />S. Sood, K. Peters, and L. Luck, “Nursing Students’ Experiences of Mentorship During Their Clinical Placement — an Integrative Review,” Collegian 33 (2026): 223–231, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2026.03.006.<br />K. H. Kim and S. Shin, “Factors Influencing Preceptor Nurses’ Clinical Teaching Behavior: A Cross‐Sectional Study,” Nurse Education Today 146 (2025): 106555, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2024.106555.<br />J. Unsworth, C. Oldman, J. Atkinson, et al., “The Delineation of Advanced‐Level Practice Within UK District Nursing: A Cross‐Sectional Comparative Study Before and After Policy Implementation,” International Nursing Review 72 (2025): e70091, https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.70091.<br />K. J. Hong and H. J. Yoon, “‘Effect of Nurses’ Preceptorship Experience in Educating New Graduate Nurses and Preceptor Training Courses on Clinical Teaching Behavior,” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18 (2021): 975, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18030975.<br />T. Kondo, N. Takahashi, M. Aomatsu, and H. Nishigori, “To Teach Is to Learn Twice, Revisited: A Qualitative Study of How Residents Learn Through Teaching in Clinical Environments,” BMC Medical Education 24 (2024): 829, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05814-3.
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