Evaluation of conducting a screening assessment of nutritional status of hospitalized patients. Presentation of main goals and objectives of the global health project "NutritionDay"

Przegl Epidemiol. 2016;70(1):71-5, 147-50.
[Article in English, Polish]

Abstract

Introduction: European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) commenced in 2004 a global health project named "NutritionDay" aiming to promote awareness of proper nutritional status of hospitalized patients and to draw attention to the need for early detection of malnutrition among patients. Under the Polish law--pursunat to the regulation of the Minister of Health dated September 15, 2011 (amendment as of 27.12.2013)--a nutritional status of each patient should be assessed at the time of a hospital admission.

The aim: of this study was to analyze the fulfilment of the mandatory questionnaire assessment of nutritional status at selected wards of one of Warsaw's clinical hospitals.

Material and methods: The study included an analysis of medical records of patients hospitalized within 6 months (n = 26375). The correct fulfilment of screening questionnaire assessing nutritional status (NRS 2002 survey) and the information about patients' body weight as well as the results assessment of nutritional status were subject to the analysis.

Results: NRS 2002 questionnaire was present in only 67,14% medical records of patients, however 49.24% of them were unfilled.

Conclusions: The obtained results confirming low degree of NRS 2002 questionnaires' fulfilment in one of the Warsaw clinical hospitals draws attention to the need for education of hospital personnel in the field of significance of screening of nutritional assessment and its regulations. The "NutritionDay" project is an interesting form to attract attention of the aforementioned problem and its global extent additionally encourage medical units to participate in the project.

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Health Plan Implementation / methods*
  • Humans
  • Inpatients / statistics & numerical data*
  • Male
  • Malnutrition / prevention & control
  • Nutrition Assessment
  • Nutrition Surveys / statistics & numerical data*
  • Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
  • Nutritional Status*
  • Poland