How does a health care facility screen patients for nutritional risk?
Screening Tools:
1. Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST): The MST is a simple screening tool used bedside on patients on admission. It evaluates weight loss, dietary intake, and signs of malnutrition, assigning scores accordingly. A higher score indicates a higher risk of malnutrition.
2. Nutrition Risk Screening (NRS) 2002: This tool is commonly used in Europe. It has questions on general and specific criteria:
- General criteria: BMI, current weight, and usual weight.
- Specific criteria: Diseases, physiological stress, and reduced ability to eat.
Patients with a score above a certain threshold are at risk of malnutrition and require nutritional care.
3. Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA): This involves a combination of questions from patients and observations by healthcare professionals:
- Patient questions: Focus on food intake, weight loss, and functional impairment.
- Observations: Muscle mass, presence of subcutaneous fat, and any fluid buildup (edema).
4. Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA): The MNA is commonly used for older adults:
- Part A: Anthropometry, global assessment, and dietary questions.
- Part B: Assessment of lifestyle and medication.
The scoring range is 12-30, and those scoring below 17 points are at risk of malnutrition.
5. Subjective Global Assessment (SGA): This is a detailed assessment method performed by a healthcare professional. It incorporates medical history, physical examination, dietary information, and any laboratory findings.
Additional Screening Methods:
1. Laboratory Tests: These may include serum albumin, prealbumin, and total lymphocyte count to assess nutritional status.
2. Anthropometric Measurements: These include weight, height, arm and calf muscle circumference, and body mass index (BMI).
3. Food Intake Assessment: Dietitians or nutritionists assess dietary intake through food records or interviews.
4. Physical Examination: Checking for muscle wasting, skin changes, and tissue integrity.
5. Functional Assessment: Assessing a patient's ability to eat and perform daily activities related to nutrition.
By implementing these screening tools and methods, healthcare facilities can effectively identify patients at risk for nutritional deficiencies, allowing for timely interventions and better nutritional care management.