Why can't we come up with a universally accepted screening tool?

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Anna G's Outcomes Management project is one example of the current problem with nutrition screening tools. Within just one journal search (AND) and just within the first ten or so articles, I found a bunch of research on all sorts of new and existing screen tools.This would be a good thing for your typical nutrition related Dx, the more points of view the better, but these all showed how inconsistent and misused our current repertoire of nutrition screening tools are.

One of the main problems is that nutrition screen tools are clumped in with a number of other admission screening tools; it is easy to see how it can be rushed through by whoever is assigned the task. Ideally, every hospital would have DTRs to do all nutrition screening, but we all know that's a pipe dream.Properly identifying, consistently, whether or not a patient has or is at risk for malnutrition is one of the basics of our job.

Within 4 articles and a poster presentation, at least four different screening tools were discussed. One of the main problems associated with these is that both physicians and nurses use and interpret the tools incorrectly on a regular basis. Identifying at risk patients should be based on a clear and simple process used universally. Based on what I have witnessed at my rotations and what you all have said about your rotations, I don't think any two hospitals in just this area use the same format. No wonder nobody gets it consistently right. One poster presentation even discussed blood albumin levels  as a malnutrition criteria for heaven's sake!

I propose that the Academy set up a practice group and decide on one universal malnutrition screening tool to be used by all medical facilities across the country. They do this for every other important practice area. What could be more important than consistent and accurate malnutrition screening?!

FD



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