Abstract
LEARNING OUTCOME: To develop an interdisciplinary nutritional screening program that meets JCAHO requirements and appropriately identifies high risk patients. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations requires that every patient admitted to a hospital be screened for nutritional risk. Traditionally, nutritional screening has been the role of the Clinical Nutrition staff. In order to properly evaluate a patient's nutritional risk, it is vital to obtain a nutrition history which entails a chart review and patient interview. This process is time consuming and labor intensive. With decreasing patient days and staff reductions, the opportunity presents itself to redesign the nutritional screening process. An interdisciplinary approach was taken to conduct a nutritional screening upon admission utilizing the nursing admission history. A task force of nursing and clinical nutrition personnel developed the procedure. Upon admission the patient answers nutrition questions of which an answer of yes indicates a nutritional risk and is weighted with a numeric score. The admitting nurse totals the score and enters it in the hospital information system. This timely evaluation (<24 hours upon admission) allows for immediate nutrition intervention. Several barriers have been resolved to improve staff support and timely completion and intervention. This tool has been adapted to achieve the same goal in various clinical settings.
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