Food and nutritional care in hospitals: how to prevent undernutrition--report and guidelines from the Council of Europe

In 1999 the Council of Europe decided to collect information regarding Nutrition programmes in hospitals and for this purpose a network consisting of national experts from eight of the Partial Agreement member states was established. The aim was to review the current practice in Europe regarding hospital food provision, to highlight deficiencies and to issue guidelines to improve the nutritional care and support of hospitalized patients. Five major problems seemed to be common in this context: 1) lack of clearly defined responsibilities; 2) lack of sufficient education; 3) lack of influence of the patients; 4) lack of co-operation among all staff groups; and 5) lack of involvement from the hospital management. To solve the problems highlighted, a combined 'team-effort' is needed from national authorities and all staff involved in the nutritional care and support, including hospital managers.     

Alimentation et soins nutritionnels dans les hôpitaux : une vision européenneFood and nutritional care in hospitals: an european view

Disease-related undernutrition is significant in European hospitals but is seldom treated. In 1999 the council of Europe decided to collect information regarding Nutrition programmes in hospitals and for this purpose a network consisting of national experts from 12 of the Partial Agreement member states was established. The aim was to review the current practice in Europe regarding hospital food provision, to highlight deficiencies and guidelines to improve the nutritional care and support of hospitalised patients. Five major problems seemed to be common in this context: (1) lack of clearly defined responsibilities; (2) lack of sufficient education; (3) lack of influence of the patients; (4) lack of co-operation among all staff groups; (5) lack of involvement from the hospital management. To solve the problems highlighted, a combined “team-effort” is needed from national authorities and all staff involved in the nutritional care and support, including support managers.     

Practices in relation to nutritional care and support--report from the Council of Europe

Disease-related undernutrition is significant in European hospitals but is seldom treated. In 1999, the Council of Europe decided to collect information regarding Nutrition programmes in hospitals and for this purpose a network consisting of national experts from 12 of the Partial Agreement member states was established. The aim was to review the current practice in Europe regarding hospital food provision, to highlight deficiencies and to issue recommendations in improve the nutritional care and support of hospitalised patients. The data collection regarding the nutritional care providers and their practices of nutritional care and support showed that the use of nutritional risk screening and assessment, and of nutritional support and counselling was sparse and inconsistent, and that the responsibilities in these contexts were unclear. Besides, the educational level with regard to nutritional care and support was limited at all levels. All patients have the right to expect that their nutritional needs will be fulfilled during a hospitalisation. Optimal supply of food is a prerequisite for an optimal effect of the specific treatment offered to patients. Hence, the responsibilities of staff categories and the hospital management with respect to procuring nutritional care and support should be clearly assigned. Also, a general improvement in the educational level of all staff groups is needed.     

国内日间手术发展进程、存在问题与对策建议

对国内外日间手术发展进程和应用现状进行研究,分别从政府和社会、医院、患者层面进行分析,发现日间手术存在以下问题:政府和社会宣传支持力度有待加强,部分医院管理水平还需提高,患者术后康复未达预期。对此,提出政府和社会加强宣传普及,为支付报销提供有力政策支持;医院强化日间手术中心一体化管理,做好医、麻、护、管全面协调;为患者提供术后康复的连续管理,提高患者康复质量等对策建议。     

石家庄市中小医院住院患者营养风险筛查及营养支持应用现状

目的调查1所中等医院的普通外科、胸外科、消化内科、神经内科、肾内科、呼吸内科6个科室的住院患者和1所县级医院的内、外科住院患者营养风险发生率、实际应用营养支持率,为住院患者合理应用营养支持提供参考依据。方法采用营养风险筛查2002评分方法对住院患者进行营养风险筛查评估以及营养支持应用现状调查。结果中等医院6个科室住院患者的营养风险发生率为25％,其中呼吸内科营养风险发生率最高,为31％,其次为神经内科29％,以后依次为’肾内科27％、胸外科23％、消化内科22％、普通外科18％,有营养风险的患者中24％进行了营养支持,无营养风险患者中9％进行了营养支持。小医院营养风险发生率为18％,其中内科29％、外科7％,有营养风险患者使用营养支持占24％,无营养风险患者中4％进行了营养支持。结论石家庄市中小医院住院患者存在一定数量的营养风险和营养不良（不足）,肠外和肠内营养存在不合理性,今后在中小医院进一步推广基于循证医学的肠外肠内营养指南和应用规范尤为重要。     

石家庄市中小医院住院患者营养风险筛查及营养支持应用现状

目的 调查1所中等医院的普通外科、胸外科、消化内科、神经内科、肾内科、呼吸内科6个科室的住院患者和1所县级医院的内、外科住院患者营养风险发生率、实际应用营养支持率,为住院患者合理应用营养支持提供参考依据.方法 采用营养风险筛查2002评分方法对住院患者进行营养风险筛查评估以及营养支持应用现状调查.结果 中等医院6个科室住院患者的营养风险发生率为25%,其中呼吸内科营养风险发生率最高,为31%,其次为神经内科29%,以后依次为肾内科27%、胸外科23%、消化内科22%、普通外科18%,有营养风险的患者中24%进行了营养支持,无营养风险患者中9%进行了营养支持.小医院营养风险发生率为18%,其中内科29%、外科7%,有营养风险患者使用营养支持占24%,无营养风险患者中4%进行了营养支持.结论 石家庄市中小医院住院患者存在一定数量的营养风险和营养不良(不足),肠外和肠内营养存在不合理性,今后在中小医院进一步推广基于循证医学的肠外肠内营养指南和应用规范尤为重要.     

The impact of computerization of the nutrition support process on the nutrition support program in a tertiary care hospital in the Philippines: report for the years 2000-2003

BACKGROUND & AIMS: To improve hospital health care delivery by identifying malnutrition in all admitted patients and following up those identified to be malnourished and "at risk of developing malnutrition" a hospital nutrition support program based on the JCAHO system was initiated in 1999. Two major problems were encountered: first, the inability to perform a nutrition surveillance process due to failure by the staff to implement existing nutrition screening tools and second, the lack of awareness and support from the medical staff in this initiative. Two solutions were implemented in 2000: computerization of the nutrition screening and nutrition support process and synchronizing this with the whole nutrition support program. METHODS: A computer program was developed which performs BMI-based nutrition screening, produces lists of all malnourished patients, and computes the different formulas for either nutritional requirement or parenteral and/or enteral formulation. It also generates patient status reports based on encoded data from the nutrition support team, which prioritized these patients for management based on the data output. RESULTS: From 2000 to 2003, improvement was seen in these areas: entry of height and weight in the patient record increased from 30% to 90%; nutrition surveillance shows nutritional status distribution to be: normal (58%), underweight (9%), overweight (25%), and obese (8%), referrals to the nutrition support team based on the screen notification increased from 37% to 100%, patient coverage by nutrition support services increased from 7374 (38.8%) in 2000 to 11,369 (83%) in 2003, and critical care patients seen increased from 10% in 2000 to 99% in 2003. More improvement is needed in physician response to nutrition support recommendations, which still remains low (11.2-24%). CONCLUSIONS: Computerization helps to improve nutrition support delivery in the hospital, but more cooperation and support from the medical staff is still needed for better results.     

Nutrition support teams--a 1983 survey

Nutrition support teams (NST) in a variety of public and private US hospitals were surveyed in the spring of 1983. A mailed questionnaire elicited information from 521 previously identified teams. The intent was to survey the characteristics of hospitals with NST, the structure and function of NST and the attitudes of coworkers regarding NST. The questionnaire was designed to facilitate individual team communication of successes and admonitions regarding team initiation and function. Nutrition support teams from 267 of 521 (51.6%) hospitals responded. Teams, multidisciplinary in composition, were located most frequently in 200 to 500-bed private, nonprofit hospitals. Financial arrangements and the scope of service rendered varied. Attitudes about NST reflected some problems with attending physicians' skepticism, rivalry, and ignorance. Other hospital professionals' attitudes were reported as supportive with reservations. Comments, penned by 90% of respondents, indicated a solid, positive concern for developing nutritional expertise, productive teamwork, and support from fellow care-givers. Generally, NST were found to be in a period of growth and essentially healthy.     

The path from oral nutrition to home parenteral nutrition: a qualitative interview study of the experiences of advanced cancer patients and their families

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Little is known about the perspectives that patients with advanced cancer and their family members have concerning nutritional problems and nutritional support. The aim of this study was to investigate their experiences of the nutritional situation prior to introduction of home parenteral nutrition (HPN) in order to understand factors contributing to the decision to accept HPN. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 patients with advanced cancer who had received HPN and 11 family members. The constant comparative method was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Patients and family members described the nutritional situation prior to HPN as a source of worry and often desperation. Patients reported wanting and trying to eat, but being unable to do so. Family members experienced powerlessness and frustration, as they could not enable the patient to eat. A lack of attention to nutritional problems by the hospital staff was described. The offer of HPN came when patients and family no longer felt able to solve the nutritional problems within the family. CONCLUSION: The desperate and chaotic nutritional situation in the family led to willingness to accept HPN. Because of the severity of the problems, HPN was viewed as a positive alternative.     

Evaluation of policies regarding physicians infected with blood-borne pathogens.

OBJECTIVE: Formulating an effective approach to preventing surgeon-to-patient transmission of blood-borne pathogens has been controversial. The objective of our study was to evaluate current community hospital policies, if any, regarding restrictions on surgeons (general surgeons and obstetricians and gynecologists) infected with blood-borne pathogens operating on patients. DESIGN: A survey on hospital policies regarding surgeons infected with blood-borne pathogens was sent to infection control officers at Northern California community hospitals (n = 113). RESULTS: Forty-five hospitals responded to the survey. Of these, only 6 (13.3%) had a policy. Of the 39 (86.7%) that did not have a policy, only 3 hospitals were planning on implementing one. CONCLUSIONS: Many community hospitals are uninterested in instituting a policy regarding the practice of surgeons infected with blood-borne pathogens. Possible reasons include the lack of concern on the individual level, difficulty in defining exposure-prone procedures, and the nature of the relationship between medical staff and community hospitals.     

Nutrition Assessment Score validation and the implications for usage

Introduction Malnutrition in hospital is a well‐documented and significant problem and contributes to increased recovery times, length of stays, cost to the NHS and patient mortality and morbidity. Malnutrition in hospitals has been found to be in excess of 40% of admissions. In spite of the fact that nutritional support has been found to benefit patients, referral rates to dietetic services do not reflect these levels. A study was carried out in Hairmyres Hospital to validate a nutritional assessment score (NAS) and assess the benefits and costs of introducing this assessment as a routine part of nursing care. Methods An NAS was completed for all patients admitted to two medical and two surgical wards over a 4‐week period and nutritionally assessed by a dietitian. Assessment was carried out on admission and weekly thereafter, for 118 patients, resulting in a total of 150 assessments. Results With a scoring system of: On Admission: Refer if score is 6 or above, On Review: Refer if score is 4 or above, it was found that 92% of patients at risk of malnutrition would be appropriately referred on admission and 100% of those patients not appropriately referred would be referred on review. Discussion and conclusions The study shows the NAS to be a valid tool for nutritional assessment and a useful aid to nursing staff in assessing risk of malnutrition and need for nutritional support. It suggests that the NAS could be used to indicate the need for nursing and dietetic intervention. The Dietetic Department could anticipate approximately 1880 new nutritional support referrals per year from general medical and surgical wards. The introduction of such an assessment tool has resource implications for dietitians, nurses and catering staff but should provide benefits to the patients and the hospital.     

Addressing the nutritional needs of older people in residential care homes

In the UK and Europe, malnutrition in older people is a significant and continuing problem. Malnutrition predisposes to disease, impedes recovery from illness, increases mortality and is costly to society. Despite the high number of older people potentially at risk, malnutrition in care homes has been under explored. There is concern that national guidelines regarding the nutritional care of older people in residential care homes are not always implemented. This qualitative study explored the factors that influence the nutritional care provided to residents in two different types of local authority residential care homes (providing personal care) in Wales. One home had communal dining rooms; the other had eight bedded units with their own kitchen and dining facilities. The sample of 45 participants, comprised 19 staff (managers, care and catering staff), 16 residents and 10 residents' relatives. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, focus groups, observation and documentary review between August 2009 and January 2010. This paper focuses on how staff assessed and addressed residents' nutritional needs. In both care homes, staff strove to be responsive to residents' dietary preferences, provided person-centred care and worked in partnership with residents and their families to provide nutritious food in a homely environment. Neither home conducted nutritional screening to identify those at risk of malnutrition, contrary to national guidelines, but relied on ad hoc observation and monitoring. The staff's knowledge of special dietary needs was limited. A need for further training for care home staff regarding the importance of nutrition in maintaining health in older people, use of nutritional screening and special dietary needs was identified. Shared nutrition training between health and social care staff needs expansion and policy implications in terms of an enhanced regulatory focus on maintaining nutritional needs in care homes are proposed.     

山东地区部分医院住院患者营养风险筛查和营养支持应用状况

目的 调查山东省部分地区不同规模医院住院患者营养风险、营养不良（不足）发生率及营养支持应用状况及相关并发症发生率.方法 以山东地区部分大、中、小医院2792例新住院患者为研究对象,进行营养风险筛查2002（NRS 2002）,记录患者营养支持应用情况、住院时间、感染性及非感染性并发症发生率.以NRS 2002≥3分为有营养风险,体重指数＜18.5 kg/m^2并结合患者临床情况判定为营养不足.结果 大、中、小医院新住院患者营养不足发生率分别为5.6%、1.6%、2.7%,差异有统计学意义（P=0.000）;营养风险发生率分别为27.3%、15.4%、18.3%,差异有统计学意义（P=0.000）;存在营养风险患者营养支持的应用率分别为51.5%、30.8%、20.9%,差异有统计学意义（P=0.000）;营养支持以肠外营养应用最多,大、中、小医院分别为72.9%、95.1%、100%,差异有统计学意义（P=0.000）.大医院483例新人院患者中无营养风险者并发症的发生率明显低于有营养风险的患者（P=0.000）;在有营养风险的患者中,接受营养支持患者的感染性并发症发生率明显低于无营养支持者（P=0.043）;在无营养风险的患者中,接受营养支持患者与无营养支持患者之间总并发症发生率差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）.结论 采用NRS 2002对我国住院患者进行营养风险筛查是可行的,营养支持可以减少有营养风险患者并发症的发生.     

某市医院健康教育现状分析

目的了解某市各级医院健康教育现状及存在的问题。方法随机抽取某市及下属县共12所医院的医护人员及病人,分别进行问卷调查。结果某市各级医院不同程度地开展健康教育,但还存在一些问题,如健康教育的形式较为单一,健康教育后的评价、医护人员健康教育理论和实践技能培训、医护人员参与社区健康教育活动等工作开展均较少。结论医院健康教育工作尤为重要,要加大开展力度、注重效果。     

SARS in three categories of hospital workers, Hong Kong

We analyzed attack rates for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in three categories of hospital workers (nurses, nonmedical support staff, and other technical or medical staff) in all public hospitals in Hong Kong that had admitted SARS patients. Of 16 such hospitals, 14 had cases. The overall attack rate was 1.20%. Nonmedical support staff had the highest attack rate (2.73%). The odds ratios of group nonmedical support staff versus those of nurses and of nonmedical support staff versus other technical or medical staff were 2.30 (p < 0.001) and 9.78 (p < 0.001), respectively. The number of affected staff and attack rates were significantly correlated with the number of SARS patients admitted (r = 0.914 and 0.686, respectively). Affected patients were concentrated in three hospitals and in the earlier phase of the epidemic. Cleaning and clerical staff on hospital wards were at a much higher risk.     

A Qualitative Exploration of Nutrition Screening,Assessment and Oral Support Used in Patients Undergoing Cancer Surgery in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Preoperative undernutrition is a prognostic indicator for postoperative mortality and morbidity. Evidence suggests that treating undernutrition can improve surgical outcomes. This study explored the provision of nutritional screening, assessment and support on surgical cancer wards in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This was a qualitative study and participants took part in one focus group or one individual interview. Data were analysed thematically. There were 34 participants from Ghana, India, the Philippines and Zambia: 24 healthcare professionals (HCPs) and 10 patients. Results showed that knowledge levels and enthusiasm were high in HCPs. Barriers to adequate nutritional support were a lack of provision of ward and kitchen equipment, food and sustainable nutritional supplements. There was variation across countries towards nutritional screening and assessment which seemed to be driven by resources. Many hospitals where resources were scarce focused on the care of individual patients in favour of an integrated systems approach to identify and manage undernutrition. In conclusion, there is scope to improve the efficiency of nutritional management of surgical cancer patients in LMICs through the integration of nutrition assessment and support into routine hospital policies and procedures, moving from case management undertaken by interested personnel to a system-based approach including the whole multidisciplinary team.     

贵州省中医医疗机构医院感染管理现况调查

目的 调查贵州省中医医疗机构医院感染管理工作现状,为提高医院感染管理质量提供依据。 方法 采用问卷对省、市、县中医医疗机构医院感染现状进行调查。 结果 共调查了79所中医医疗机构。各级中医院医院感染管理专职人员中本科学历占66.90%,护理专业占60.69%,初级职称占42.07%。大多数中医院开展了医院感染相关监测工作,26.67%的中医医疗机构实现了医院感染信息化监测,仅3.80%的中医医疗机构开展了医院感染管理相关科研。 结论 贵州省中医医疗机构需进一步完善医院感染相关监测工作,并加强信息化监测;专职人员存在专业单一、职称偏低、高学历人才缺乏的情况;需加强医院感染相关科研工作。     

At home in hospital? Interaction and stigma in people affected by cancer

Social research conducted in cancer hospitals has tended to focus on interaction between patients and staff, and studies of interaction amongst people with cancer often centre on group therapy and patient-patient support mediated by health professionals. Informal interaction between patients and fellow patients, and their carers/visitors, occurs in cancer hospitals every day but has remained largely unanalysed, particularly in the case of visitors. In this paper, based on data from 71 in-depth interviews, we compare patient and carer perceptions of interacting with fellow patients/visitors in a cancer centre with their perceptions of interacting in the outside world. We apply Erving Goffman's theories on stigma to the data and argue that these theories have both relevance and currency. The outside world can be seen as a 'civil place' where people with cancer often encountered difficulties such as undue admiration, uneasiness, avoidance and lack of tact, whereas the cancer centre appears to have been a 'back place' where, for most patients, stigmatisation was not an issue, and they could 'get on with it' in the company of fellow patients and their visitors. However, some groups of patients experienced social isolation in the hospital or seemed to be assigned to the lower strata of cancer patient society. We conclude that patients who are outside the informal support system in cancer hospitals may have psychosocial difficulties that might be recognised and addressed by healthcare staff, and that patients and their carers might benefit from enhanced support following discharge from hospital.     

Responses to AIDS: large urban and small rural hospitals

This study examines the assumptions that large urban hospitals will differ strikingly from small rural hospitals in their experience with AIDS patients, the staff-related problems caused by AIDS patients, and the administrative actions undertaken by the hospital in response. Results from a national stratified random sample of U.S. hospitals showed that by mid-1989 nearly all large urban hospitals had admitted AIDS patients, while only one-quarter of small rural hospitals had done so. Yet, over three-quarters of small rural hospitals have already adopted administrative policies about HIV testing of patients, and the contents of such policies differ little from those adopted by large urban hospitals. Despite similarity in official administrative responses, attitudinal differences exist. Staff fears of contagion and attitudes about isolation of HIV-positive patients are more evident in small rural hospitals; yet, recruitment difficulties triggered by staff concerns are greater in large urban hospitals.     

我国艾滋病防治定点医疗制度的变迁

目的:梳理我国艾滋病定点医疗制度的发展过程,综合分析主要问题及原因,探讨解决思路。方法:对30个省的184个省市县三级医疗卫生机构中从事艾滋病防治工作五年及以上的领导或专家进行问卷调查,对7省2 432名HIV感染者和病人进行问卷调查。结果:防治人员认为定点医疗制度导致的艾滋病病人手术难和住院难问题突出,严重程度为6.49分,在艾滋病防治十大问题中位列第3;2 367名(97.3%)HIV感染者和病人知道定点医疗制度,1 376人在定点医院就诊过,其中,1 177人认为病情得到了有效治疗,124人认为定点医院的医疗技术有限;55名的手术或住院病人认为非定点医院存在推诿问题。政策分析显示,我国艾滋病定点医疗制度是逐渐发展的,表现出历史阶段性和目标短期性。结论:我国艾滋病定点医疗制度的作用明显,但问题突出。改进现有制度的思路包括:提高定点医院的综合服务能力,健全会诊和转诊机制,协调非定点医院提供技术支援,降低医务人员对艾滋病的歧视和恐惧,减少职业暴露风险,加强医院、疾控和病人的沟通。