Barriers and enablers to applying for the Dietitians Association of Australia Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian credential: A qualitative analysis.

Aim The present study aimed to identify barriers and enablers to applying for the Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian ( AdvAPD) credential as well as problems with the application process. Methods Eleven Accredited Practising Dietitians ( APDs) and nine AdvAPDs were recruited to participate by telephone in focus groups or in one-on-one interviews via the weekly national Dietitians Association of Australia ( DAA) e-alert and advertisement at the 2012 National Conference. Semistructured interview schedules were used to guide the groups and interviews which were recorded via the DAA conferencing facility and subsequently transcribed verbatim. Themes were identified using qualitative analysis software. Results Barriers to applying for the AdvAPD credential included the onerousness of the process, busy-ness/finding the time, and having competing priorities, while working with colleagues, receiving recognition and having an AdvAPD mentor were predominant enablers. Problems identified with the application process included the difficulty in completing specific parts of the application, particularly the research and management/supervision components, and the assessment/definition of advanced practice itself. Suggested improvements included the use of technology in submission, and provision of a range of examples for reference. Conclusions APDs wishing to apply for the AdvAPD credential are encouraged to apply key findings such as engaging a mentor, working with colleagues and seeking successful application examples as strategies within their plan. The broader results will inform the review of the performance criteria and evidence examples currently available to AdvAPD applicants and support development of additional tools to assist the application process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]