Authors

1Nuria Solís Ferrero,  2Abel Agilda Rumbo, 3Mª Vanesa Gómez Reina.

Position

¹Enfermera. Despertar infantil. Hospital Teresa Herrera. A Coruña. ²Enfermero. Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos de pediatría. Hospital Teresa Herrera. A Coruña. ³Enfermera. Área de cardiología. Hospital Virgen del Rocío. Sevilla.

Contact email: nuria_solis@hotmail.com

Abstract

Nutrition has a significant impact on health. Throughout the history of health care, prescription of an appropriate diet has been an integral part of patients care.

A healthy and well-balanced diet is needed to achieve an optimal health condition.

Incidence of malnutrition in hospitals continues to be high. Nutritional problems lead to longer hospital admissions and higher healthcare costs. Such costs could be avoided with an appropriate nutritional therapy since the day of admission. Thus, useful tools to detect risk conditions requiring nutritional intervention are clearly important

Hospital nutrition requires an interdisciplinary knowledge and nursing staff must be involved in both prevention and management.

Nursing role includes ensuring that nutritional and hydration needs are fulfilled.

Keywords:

Nutrition; nutritional assessment; malnutritiondiets code

Versión en Español

Título:

La importancia de la nutrición hospitalaria y el papel de la enfermera en ella