Preferences, motivations, professional activities and job satisfaction of nutritionists of the National School Feeding Program of the Federal Schools Network

Abstract

Objective To identify preferences, motivations, and professional activities of nutritionists from the Federal Technical Schools in Brazil regarding their field of work, potentials and weaknesses, and level of job satisfaction. We also aimed to assess the relationship between the performance of professional activities and job satisfaction. Methods This is a cross-sectional study, with a quantitative approach and descriptive analysis. The nutritionists completed an online form (Google FORMS®) about identification, interpersonal aspects, professional activities, and job satisfaction. Descriptive statistics were reported for all variables. Student’s t-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to assess differences in satisfaction levels among nutritionists who perform certain professional activities or not, with significance considered at No-BreakpNo-Break<0.05. Results A total of 195 nutritionists from all Brazilian states, except Acre and Amapá, participated in the study. Out of these 95.1% were female, with over 11 years graduation (43.8%), working in the institution for 1 to 5 years (51.4%), and 99.5% were public servants. Job stability in the public service motivated 70.3% nutritionists to work in the field. The majority stated they were committed (67.6%) and wished to continue in the job (27.6%). Difficulty in balancing management activities with nutrition education was the main drawback (25.4%). Satisfaction, rated at 3.61 on a scale of 1 to 5, differed significantly (p<0.05) based on the performance of professional activities. Conclusion Effective communication among those involved in the National School Feeding Program, increased participation, and autonomy in administrative decisions, along with support for their mandatory activities, can enhance the satisfaction of nutritionists in federal technical schools.