The Development of a Computerized Nutrition Support Program for Inpatients

Jeong, Mi Jin; Lee, Soo Taik; Kim, Dong Chan; Yu, Hee Chul; Kim, Won; Kim, Haeng Sun; Kim, Ju Sin; Kim, Seon Hyeong; Kang, Min Woo; Jin, Guang Yu; Cho, Baik Hwan

Abstract

PURPOSE
The importance of detecting malnourished patients or those at risk of becoming malnourished early has been emphasized recently. However, it is difficult with limited resources to rapidly identify patients requiring nutrition management. Therefore, the Nutrition Support Team (NST) at our hospital wanted to use the adult nursing admission questionnaire, which is documented by a nurse at admission, for nutrition screening with various parameters of the SGA. The aim of this study was to develop a computerized program that includes nutrition screening using the adult nursing admission questionnaire, a nutrition assessment, a care plan, monitoring and reevaluation for more effective and earlier nutrition management with limited staff.
METHODS
The task force team within the NST is composed of a physician, nurse, pharmacist and dietitian, whose aim is to develop a practical and fast screening program. The reports express a score that is dependent on the impact of the symptoms and the nutritional status of the patient derived from the adult nursing admission questionnaire. The scores are added to give a total. A score of 0~5 is deemed adequate nutrition, 6~10 denotes moderate or suspected malnutrition; 11 or more indicates severe malnutrition. The score uses the ordered diet, percent IBW, albumin and TLC according to the objective index. Malnutrition was defined as two items out of four being abnormal.
RESULTS
This program consists of whole procedures in the following order: nutrition screening, malnutrition, assessment and monitoring. The computerized system is as follows: nutrition screening, consultation, assessment and care plan, reply, monitoring, reevaluation and the end.
CONCLUSION
It is expected that this program will facilitate nutrition screening using the adult nursing admission questionnaire, and provide early nutrition management through cooperation with various occupations. However, further study will be needed to assess the validity of identifying malnourished patients using the adult nursing admission questionnaire.