Opportunities for Patient Participation in Perioperative Malnutrition Care: A Qualitative Study.

Introduction: In the perioperative period of hospitalization, barriers to food intake are common due to special nutritional needs, compromised nutritional status, and metabolic stress. Good nutritional care call for an interdisciplinary approach. And patients themselves may also play an essential role in managing nutritional care. Objective: This study aimed to explore how patients with malnutrition experience nutritional care, their perspectives on patient participation, and their own role in malnutrition care in the perioperative period of hospitalization. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using an interpretive phenomenological approach. To follow patients' experiences, in-depth longitudinal interviews were undertaken before, during, and after hospitalization. Interview transcripts were analyzed thematically using open, axial, and selective coding and interpreted in an iterative process. Results: Fifty-six interviews were undertaken with 26 patients with malnutrition scheduled for surgery and during the perioperative period of hospitalization. Four themes were identified: (1) unawareness and stigmata about being malnourished, (2) feasibility of optimal nutritional care, (3) needs and expectations for self-management, and (4) barriers and facilitators of taking own responsibilities in nutritional care. Conclusion: Awareness and responsiveness to patients' perspectives, motivation, and compliance are prerequisites for patient participation in malnutrition care. This requires good communication between healthcare professionals and patients in all phases of hospitalization.

Factors influencing the delivery of nutritional care by nurses for hospitalised medical patients with malnutrition; a qualitative study.

OBJECTIVES: To describe an insight into nursing nutritional care delivery in the hospital from the perspectives of observed nursing care and an exploration of multidisciplinary attitudes and experiences with patient participation in nutritional care. BACKGROUND: The prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalised patients continues to be high. Nurses' essential role in the identification and treatment of malnutrition is an important aspect of the fundamentals of care. Nurses have a key role in providing optimal nutritional care in the hospital. A systematic nursing approach, combined with an active role for patients, is required to effectively counteract malnutrition. DESIGN: A multicentre qualitative study using ethnographic observations and focus groups. METHODS: Direct observation of nutritional care was conducted on two nursing wards; nurses and inpatients were observed; and data were thematically analysed based on the fundamentals of care framework. Subsequently, six focus groups were held on three nursing wards with nurses, dietitians and nutrition assistants (n = 34). Data were analysed using open, axial and selective coding. The COREQ guidelines were used for reporting the study. RESULTS: During 54 days, representing 183 h, 39 nurses were observed in two medical wards. Three activities in nutritional care delivery were identified from observing nurses and patients: (1) screening and assessment/at-risk determination, (2) nutritional care plans and (3) monitoring and evaluating outcomes and transition-of-care planning. In addition, the focus groups identified barriers, facilitators, needs and expectations for optimal nursing nutritional care delivery. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides an understanding of the difficulties in the delivery of nursing nutritional care. Patient participation in the nutritional care process is rare. Evidence-based strategies are required to improve the knowledge and skills of nurses and patients to participate in (mal)nutrition care. RELEVANCE: The findings of this study are used for the development of a nursing nutrition intervention to optimise patient participation in (mal)nutrition care. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: During the study, patients were not involved with the observations of care and/or with the interviews; the researchers observed the nutritional care delivery at medical wards acting as passive participants. Nurses, nutrition assistants and dietitians were after the focus groups asked for feedback on the transcripts of the interviews.

Effects of nursing nutrition interventions on outcomes in malnourished hospital inpatients and nursing home residents: A systematic review.

CONTEXT: Malnutrition in institutionalized patients is associated with adverse outcomes and increased costs. Nurses have a crucial role in the recognition and treatment of malnutrition and empowering patients in nutritional care. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review provides an overview of the effectiveness of nursing nutritional interventions to counteract malnutrition. DATA SOURCES: Data were obtained through a systematic search in MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL, EMBASE and ISI Web of Science databases from inception to February 15th 2018. DATA EXTRACTION: Studies were eligible for inclusion when published in English, Spanish or German. Primary outcome parameters were nutritional status and dietary intake. DATA ANALYSIS: The Evidence analysis checklist from the American Dietetic Association and GRADE were used to evaluate the methodological quality of the studies. RESULTS: Out of 8162 studies, fifteen studies were included in the study, representing nine hospitals and six long-term care facilities. Two main categories of nursing nutrition interventions were identified; the implementation of 1) a nursing nutrition plan focusing on nursing actions in nutritional care or 2) nursing assistance in feeding support, mostly during mealtimes. Studies were heterogeneous and of most of them of low quality. This hampered drawing conclusions on effectiveness of nursing nutrition interventions on malnutrition related outcomes in clinical care. Nevertheless, six out of 15 studies reported a slightly improved nutritional status and/or clinical outcomes as a result of the interventions. CONCLUSION: This review identified two categories of nursing nutrition interventions to counteract malnutrition. Their effectiveness needs to be further evaluated in future studies. Tweetable abstract: Systematic review of effective Nursing Nutrition Interventions in the management of malnutrition in hospital and nursing home care.

The effects of the administration of oral nutritional supplementation with medication rounds on the achievement of nutritional goals: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Oral nutritional supplements (ONS) are often considered for hospitalized patients with acute severe malnutrition, however the compliance to the supplements is known to be variable. The aim of our study was to investigate whether providing a lower volume of ONS at a higher frequency during medication rounds would improve the intake of the supplements. METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, 234 malnourished inpatients (mean age 71.2 years, 55% male, median LOS 10 days) were randomized to receive ONS (300 kcal and 12 g Protein per 125 ml serving) in one of three different schemes. The usual care group (n = 88) was offered ONS 125 ml twice per day in between meals. This was compared to two intervention groups that were offered ONS during medication rounds: intervention group 1 (n = 66) received 125 ml of ONS twice per day, at 12 and 17 o'clock, and intervention group 2 (n = 80) received 62 ml of ONS four times a day, at 8, 12, 17 and 20 o'clock. Follow-up was performed until discharge or until ONS was no longer needed, with a maximum follow-up period of 30 days. The primary outcome measure was the percentage of patients who consumed at least 75% of the prescribed volume of ONS. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed between the control groups and intervention group 1 (risk difference of -16.0% (95% CI -33.2-1.2). However, the percentage of patients consuming at least 75% of the prescribed ONS was higher in intervention group 2, with a risk difference 23.4% (95% CI 7.8-39.0%) and a mean increased intake of 35 ml (84 kcal) per day, p < 0.001). Median time ONS were taken was 5 days (range 1-17). CONCLUSION: A higher frequency of a lower volume of ONS during medication rounds increased the compliance of patients needing ONS. Clinical trial registration number NTR2535; www.trialregister.nl.