Re:Topic 5 DQ 1

We utilize EBP for all admissions related to completing a nutritional assessment upon admission. All patients have a nutritional screening done as part of the admission process. If they are identified in the screening an automatic referral is sent to our dietitian. Additionally if there is any other reason the nurse feels the patient would benefit from a consult with dietary they can send for a consult from the nutritional screening tool.

Our protocol follows the recommendations of assessing nutritional status by screening for nutritional risk and providing intervention for any patient identified in that screening (Mueller, Compher, Druyan, 2011).

In our hospital service area we have a high number of diabetics, obesity, and alcoholic liver disease. By identifying nutritional risk factors we can provide guidance and assistance to try to improve the baseline state of the related chronic medical problems. This will improve patient outcomes by decreasing complications such as infection, decrease length of stay and degrease mortality (Mueller, Compher, Druyan,2011).

Mueller C, Compher C, Druyan ME, American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (A.S.P.E.N.) Board of Directors. A.S.P.E.N.
clinical guidelines: nutrition screening, assessment, and intervention in adults.JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2011 Jan;35(1):16-24. Retrieved from:

http://pen.sagepub.com/content/35/1/16.full

Link to guideline.

https://guideline.gov/summaries/summary/38489/aspen-clinical-guidelines-nutrition-screening-assessment-and-intervention-in-adults