Nutrition and involuntary weight loss: a pilot study of an educational intervention for nursing home surveyors

OBJECTIVE: To describe the knowledge and attitudes of nursing home (NH) surveyors before and after a brief educational intervention related to nutrition and involuntary weight loss in nursing home residents. DESIGN: A questionnaire covering knowledge and attitudes about nutrition was given 1 month before and 6 months after a targeted educational intervention. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: State of Maryland nursing home surveyors. MEASUREMENTS: A 24-item questionnaire of NH surveyor knowledge (11 items) and attitudes (13 items) regarding issues related to nutrition and involuntary weight loss in NH residents. RESULTS: Overall surveyors' knowledge scores increased from 68% (SD, 17%) pre-intervention to 76% (SD, 18%) post-intervention (P = .11). Knowledge related to the lack of the effect of tube feeding on survival in NH residents with end-stage dementia was the only knowledge item that improved significantly with the intervention (39% correct pre-intervention and 68% correct post-intervention, P = .04). There were no changes in attitudes toward the diagnosis or treatment of nutrition after the intervention. CONCLUSION: Overall, NH surveyor knowledge related to nutrition and involuntary weight loss varied widely across topic areas. Neither knowledge nor attitudes were substantially affected by a brief educational intervention. Development of effective educational interventions for NH surveyors should be a priority for stakeholders in NH care.