Development of nutritional risk screening in the community

Abstract

A district nurse and community dietitian joint initiative has resulted in the development of a community-focused nutritional screening tool. The purpose of the tool is to standardise community nurses’ practice in the patient’s own home when screening for risk of malnutrition. The tool has a matrix format containing eight categories. A score is given in each category which cumulatively relates to low, moderate or high risk. An action plan has been formulated to relate to these scores. A pilot study has been undertaken using a repeated measures method on a total of 27 patients. Two community nurses screened each patient using the tool under development. A dietitian then reassessed patients using a mix of clinical judgement and a pre-validated nutritional risk tool. Statistical analysis of the pilot study data has shown a high degree of correlation between the two nurses, the tool under development and the pre-validated tool. It is recommended that a more extensive study is required to confirm these results. Research is also required to investigate patients’ perception of the suitability of the nutritional action plans.