Nutritional screening as part of nursing care

Section: Revisiones

How to quote

González-Alcantud B, Hernández-Mellado A, Martín-Salinas C. El cribado nutricional como parte de los cuidados enfermeros. Metas Enferm feb 2019; 22(1):62-70.

Authors

Belén González-Alcantud1, Ana Hernández-Mellado1, Carmen Martín-Salinas2

Position

1Enfermera. Hospital Universitario La Paz. Servicio Madrileño de Salud. Madrid2Máster en Docencia Universitaria. Facultad de Medicina. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

Contact address

Belén González-Alcantud. C/ Zaida, 61. 28019 Madrid.

Contact email: belen.gonalc@gmail.com

Abstract

Objective: to explore the knowledge and attitudes of nurses regarding nutritional assessment or screening in hospitalized patients.
Method: a narrative study was conducted between November, 2017 and January, 2018, through the design of search strategies in free and controlled language in the following databases: Pubmed, Cinahl, Cuiden, Cochrane Library, Sicelo, Dialnet Plus, Lilacs, and the Web of Science Core Collection. The Boolean operators “AND” and “OR” were used, and there was a time limitation for the past 10 years. The variables observed were nutritional assessment and status, and attitudes and knowledge by nurses. Articles were reviewed by authors.
Results: seventeen (17) articles were selected of the 1,054 articles retrieved. Even though nurses perceived nutritional assessment and screening as important, there are various barriers that render difficult its implementation: lack of knowledge and training in the use of tools, preference for using personal judgment for this activity, the perception that other professionals must be the ones to conduct it, lack of time, or prioritizing other care activities, among others. The study excluded those articles that dealt with non-hospitalized patients, those with eating disorders, pregnant women, and palliative care patients.
Conclusions: given the lack of bibliography, it is necessary to conduct research studies which allow to visualize the barriers for the implementation of screening tools and nutritional assessment of hospitalized patients.

Keywords:

nutritional assessment; nutritional screening; nutritional care; Hospital malnutrition; narrative review; narrative review

Versión en Español

Título:

El cribado nutricional como parte de los cuidados enfermeros