[Clinical nutrition knowledge in health care members of University Hospitals of Paraguay]. / Nivel de conocimiento en nutrición clínica en miembros del Equipo de Salud de Hospitales Universitarios del Paraguay.

BACKGROUND: Adequate clinical nutrition care is an integral part of the complete treatment of hospitalised patients, requiring specific knowledge from the health care team. The aim of this study is to assess, in Paraguay, the health care team ability in clinical care nutrition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey was made including 174 people of Paraguay university hospitals (29% physicians, 29% medicine graduating students, 11% pharmaceutics, 24% nurses, 7% dieticians), by answering voluntarily a multiple choice questionnaire of 20 items. RESULTS: The median score of the 20 questions was 6 (0-15). Physicians obtained a median of 6 (2-15), graduating students 7 (2-14), pharmaceutics 7 (0-15), nurses 3 (0-11), and dieticians 9 (4-13). The dieticians obtained a significantly higher score than the other groups (p < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge about clinical nutrition in the health care members from university hospitals is not adequate. The level of education in clinical nutrition is better in the dietician.

Detection of neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage using transcephalic impedance.

Transcephalic impedance (the resistance of the head to the flow of a 100 mu-amp alternating current) was measured serially during the first eight days of life in 93 neonates, ranging in gestational age from 26 to 43 weeks. Data compiled from the 70 clinically normal neonates showed an increase in mean trancephalic value with gestational age; this mean increase did not exceed 2.5 ohms during the first eight days of life within any four-week gestational age-group. Seven of the 23 clinically abnormal neonates showed evidence of clinical deterioration typical of intraventricular hemorrhage, and this diagnosis was confirmed at autopsy. Transcephalic impedance for these patients increased considerably with the onset of clinical deterioration, while the impedance for 11 clinically normal neonates, matched with these seven for gestational age, postnatal age and time of impedance measurement, rose only slightly. Transcephalic impedance is an uncomplicated, non-invasive, inexpensive test which has potential as a diagnostic aid in the detection of intraventricular hemorrhage.

Nivel de conocimiento en nutrición clínica en miembros del Equipo de Salud de Hospitales Universitarios del Paraguay / Clinical nutrition knowledge in health care members of university hospitals of Paraguay

Introducción: Cuidados adecuados de nutrición clínica constituyen parte integral del completo tratamiento de los pacientes hospitalizados. Para la práctica correcta de la terapia nutricional, los profesionales del equipo de salud necesitan conocimientos específicos. Es de interés conocer el nivel de estos conocimientos en el Paraguay. Materiales y métodos: A 174 personas de hospitales universitarios del Paraguay (29% médicos, 29% estudiantes de sexto año de Medicina de la Universidad Nacional de Asunción, 11% farmacéuticos, 24% licenciados en enfermería, 7% nutricionistas) se suministró un cuestionario de selección múltiple de 20 puntos para determinar el nivel de conocimiento en nutrición según la calificación obtenida. Resultados: La calificación mediana de un total de 20 puntos fue de 6 (0-15). Los médicos obtuvieron una mediana de 6 (2-15), los estudiantes 7 (2-14), los farmacéuticos 7 (0-15), los licenciados en enfermería 3 (0-11) y las nutricionistas 9 (4-13). El puntaje de las nutricionistas fue significativamente mayor que el de los otros grupos (p < 0,005). Conclusión: La formación en nutrición clínica en el personal de blanco de hospitales universitarios en Paraguay no es completa. El nivel de conocimiento es superior en las nutricionistas (AU)

Background: Adequate clinical nutrition care is an integral part of the complete treatment of hospitalised patients, requiring specific knowledge from the health care team. The aim of this study is to assess, in Paraguay, the health care team ability in clinical care nutrition. Materials and methods: A survey was made including 174 people of Paraguay university hospitals (29% physicians, 29%medicine graduating students, 11% pharmaceutics, 24% nurses, 7% dieticians), by answering voluntarilya multiple choice questionnaire of 20 items. Results: The median score of the 20 questions was 6 (0-15). Physicians obtained a median of 6 (2-15), graduating students 7 (2-14), pharmaceutics 7 (0-15), nurses 3 (0-11), and dieticians 9 (4-13). The dieticians obtained a significantly higher score than the other groups (p <0.005). Conclusions: The knowledge about clinical nutrition in the health care members from university hospitals is not adequate. The level of education in clinical nutrition is better in the dietician (AU)