Hospital patients are at high risk for foodborne illness; it is essential that
hospital foodservice managers know food safety principles. The purpose of this
research was to assess the basic food safety knowledge of hospital foodservice
managers and to determine their interest in continuing education related to food
safety. A survey was mailed to a random sample of 500 acute care hospital
foodservice managers in the United States. Usable surveys were returned by 264
(53%) of the managers. Managers correctly answered from 5 to 16 of the 16 basic
food safety knowledge question (mean 14.0±1.7). Managers correctly answered
questions relating to cross-contamination and risks for foodborne illness (98%),
proper procedures for thawing meat, cooling foods, and the sequence for cleaning
utensils and equipment (97%). Managers knew current recommendations for
storing eggs, use of a steamtable, and could identify a potentially hazardous food
(94%). Managers knew the proper sequence and time for hand washing (92%).
Questions missed most frequently were end point cooking temperatures for ground
beef (52% correct) and chicken (78% correct). However, when managers who
chose higher temperatures than required are added, 93 and 94% of the managers
would produce a safe product. Managers who chose a temperature lower than
required need to review basic cooking procedures. Knowledge scores were not
significantly different when the number of hospital meals served, type of hospital
ownership or management, managers years in foodservice, years as a manager,
education level, general certification, food safety certification, hours spent or
planned learning food safety, or the managers own rating of food safety knowledge
were compared to knowledge scores. Inservice training was the most used and
most preferred method for learning about food safety. Time support from the
hospital (66%) was most often identified as contributing to ease in learning about
food safety, followed by financial support (57%). Lack of time (76%) and lack of
interesting and convenient programs (39%) were most often identified as obstacles
to learning. Managers (94%) were interested in learning more about food safety,
especially about applying Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point principles to
everyday foodservice procedures. / Graduation date: 2002
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/27450 |
| Date | 14 June 2001 |
| Creators | Ramsay, Jean D. |
| Contributors | Messersmith, Ann M. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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