Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39799193›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2025

Application of the workload indicators of staffing need (WISN) to assess dietetic workforce needs in South African central and tertiary public hospitals.

Vertharani Nolene Naicker, Jane W Muchiri, Keshan Naidoo, Modiehi Heather Legodi

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Vertharani Nolene NaickerNational Department of Health, South Africa, Dr AB Xuma Building, 112 Voortrekker Road, Pretoria Townlands 351-JR, Pretoria, 0187, South Africa. nolene.naicker1@gmail.com.
Jane W MuchiriDepartment of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Keshan NaidooRight to Care, 1006 Lenchen Avenue North, Centurion, South Africa.
Modiehi Heather LegodiDepartment of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Care Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

South Africa faces both under- and over-nutrition, highlighting the need for prioritizing nutrition services. Registered dietitians are crucial for delivering appropriate and quality nutrition services. Consequently, this case study employs the World Health Organization evidence-based Workload Indicators of Staffing Need to ascertain the requisite dietetic workforce needed at central and tertiary public hospitals in South Africa. Head dietitians from 21 of 22 central and tertiary public hospitals participated in an online survey to provide data and consensus on workload components and activity standards via Delphi technique. Data were analyzed using the World Health Organisation Workload Indicators of Staffing Need software. Dietetic staffing needs were determined based on the difference between existing and required numbers of dietitians. WISN ratio was used as a metric to gauge dietitians' workload pressure. Majority (95%) of hospitals experienced dietetic staff shortages and few (14%) had requisite staff to cover basic health services. Majority (76%) exhibited a WISN ratio below 0.5, indicating fullfilment of less than 50% of staff requirements. Based on the Workload Indicators of Staffing Need, dietitians in South African central and tertiary public hospitals experience high workload pressures due to extreme understaffing. The results can guide future profession workforce planning to facilitate enhanced nutrition outcomes in South Africa.

Indexed as

DieteticsHealth WorkforceHospitals, PublicNutritionistsPersonnel Staffing and SchedulingTertiary Care CentersWorkloadHumansSouth AfricaSurveys and QuestionnairesWorkforceDietitianHospitalSouth AfricaStaffing needsWISNWorkload indicators of staffing need

Identifiers

PMID39799193
PMCPMC11724861

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.