Document Detail


Diagnosis and treatment of (disease-related) in-hospital malnutrition: the performance of medical and nursing staff.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  18387718     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Malnutrition continues to be an important problem in health care which is still under recognized and underrated in developed countries. This study aims to describe current practice in diagnosing and treating malnutrition by medical doctors, medical students and nurses prior, during and after hospitalisation. METHODS: Prospective analysis of current practice in assessing nutritional status and prescribing treatment by medical and nursing staff in a cohort of hospitalised patients from the general medical wards of the VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam. Comparison of objective identification of malnutrition by an independent observer with subjective identification by the medical and nursing staff. Quantification of diagnosing, treating and communicating malnutrition before, during and following hospital stay by medical doctors, medical students and nurses by evaluating the written information in medical and nursing charts, and referral and discharge letters. RESULTS: Three hundred and ninety-five women and men, aged 19-96 years, were included from June to September 2005. The prevalence of malnutrition was 31.9%. Nutritional information was not mentioned in written referrals. Medical doctors performed nutritional assessment in 15.3%, medical students in 52.8%, and nurses in 29.9% of their patients. Medical doctors were the most capable of differentiating between malnourished and well-nourished patients as a basis for undertaking nutritional assessment, although this was still inadequate. Little nutritional intervention was applied during hospital stay. Information on nutritional status was lacking in most discharge letters. Nutritional follow-up was appointed in 1.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Nutritional assessment and intervention were not sufficiently applied by any professional at any stage of the pre-, actual and post-hospitalisation period.
Authors:
J W Bavelaar; C D Otter; A A van Bodegraven; A Thijs; M A E van Bokhorst-de van der Schueren
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article     Date:  2008-04-02
Journal Detail:
Title:  Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland)     Volume:  27     ISSN:  1532-1983     ISO Abbreviation:  Clin Nutr     Publication Date:  2008 Jun 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2008-06-16     Completed Date:  2008-08-19     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8309603     Medline TA:  Clin Nutr     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  431-8     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
VU University, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Institute of Health Sciences, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Cohort Studies
Female
Hospitalization*
Humans
Male
Malnutrition / diagnosis*,  epidemiology,  therapy*
Mass Screening / standards*
Medical Staff, Hospital / standards*
Middle Aged
Nutrition Assessment*
Nutritional Status
Prevalence
Prospective Studies

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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