Compliance with Joint Commission on Hospital Accreditation Requirement Pe 1.6.1

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: Decreased nutrition screening time by the dietitian through use of nursing assessment with automatic nutrition referral to identify patients at nutrition risk Currently the dietitian screens patient charts or interviews the patient to obtain information found on the nursing assessment form. This may take up to four hours a day. The nursing assessment form has been set up with triggers to identify patients potentially at nutrition risk. Nursing staff origin ally were trained to enter a nutrition consult in the computer when patients gave responses that had automatic triggers. The triggers were for weight change, poor intake and difficulty chewing. This information when obtained via consult along with diagnosis, weight, diet order and albumin would allow the dietitian to screen and risk the patient without accessing the chart. A performance indicator was developed to determine nursing completion of the nutrition section and referral to nutrition services. Findings: ♦ In 98% of the charts reviewed the nutrition section was completed but a consult to nutrition services was not generated. ♦ Without this information we would miss 21% of patients at high nutrition risk. ♦ The dietitian is duplicating efforts of nursing staff. ♦ Patients are asked the same questions twice. ♦ The dietitian tune not always well utilized. Results: When issue was presented to nursing, the consensus was that the form was not user friendly. A committee was appointed to investigate, redesign the form, and provide the necessary in servicing