Protocol for the implementation of a screening tool for the early detection of nutritional risk in a university hospital

Abstract Introduction Prevalence of disease-related malnutrition in hospitals ranges from 20% to 50%. Use of nutritional screening tools should be the first step in the prevention and treatment of patients at risk of malnutrition and/or undernourished. Aims To implement a nutritional screening tool at admission to a tertiary hospital. Methods The nutrition unit prepared a protocol for early detection of nutritional risk and selected the NRS 2002 as screening tool. The protocol was approved by the hospital committee of protocols and procedures and disseminated through the intranet. NRS 2002 was included in the diet prescription software to be implemented by the nursing staff of the hospital wards and as a direct communication system with the nutrition unit. Three phases were designed: pilot phase, implementation phase, and consolidation phase. Results The pilot phase, NRS 2002 was implemented in 2 hospital units to monitor software. The implementation phase was carried out in the same units, and all action protocols related to it were verified. The consolidation phase consisted of sequential extension of the protocol to the other hospital units. Conclusions Implementation of nutritional screening at hospital admission is a long and complex process that requires involvement of many stakeholders. Computer software has allowed for a rapid, simple, and automatic process, so that the results of the screening are immediately available to the nursing staff of the nutrition unit and activate the nutritional protocols when required.