Effectiveness of mealtime interventions in improving nutritional intake in adult patients in the acute care setting: a systematic review.

Abstract

Review Objective/Question The objective of this review is to identify, assess and synthesise the available evidence on the effectiveness of mealtime interventions that improve nutritional intake in adult patients in the acute care setting. Interventions reviewed will not include nutritional interventions that are related to the actual food or fluids offered or ordered, for or by the patient, but rather will include interventions that evaluate or alter the environment and/or circumstances of the patient.s mealtimes. Mealtimes will be taken to mean both designated mealtimes and/or other times when patients may eat or drink. The review question is: What are the effects of identified mealtime interventions in improving the nutritional intake of adult patients in the acute care setting? Types of Participants The review will consider publications that include male and female adults aged 18 years old and over, from any ethnic background, who are inpatients in acute care hospitals with any diagnosis. The review will consider patients who obtain their nutrition by oral route and exclude patients who are enterally or parentrally fed. The review will exclude patients in intensive care or high dependency facilities, palliative care and end of life patients. Other healthcare settings such as rehabilitation, transitional care and residential aged care facilities will not be considered. Types of Intervention Interventions may include but will not be limited to: Organisational practices Food Service practices Nursing practices Medical practices Dietetic practices Dietetic/Diet/Nutrition Assistant practices Volunteer practices Family/carer practices The following mealtime interventions have been identified as having the potential to influence nutritional intake and therefore will be examined in the first instance: - Focused or set up for meals practices where a pre-mealtime routine of getting patients ready for mealtimes occurs. This practice may include washing hands, toileting, ensuring space available for meal tray and correct position for eating. TRUNCATED AT 350 WORDS