Nutritional care for adults in hospital

Despite the fact that up to 40% of hospital patients may be malnourished, many nutritional referrals are inconsistent or inappropriate. Recent research has raised awareness of nutrition, but wide variations remain in the assessment and referral procedures used by hospital trusts. The final best practice statement in our series emerged from the responses of nursing and dietetic staff across Scotland. The statement focuses on five aspects of nutritional care: admission to hospital; nursing management of nutritional care; nutritional screening and documentation; criteria for nutritional referrals, and education and training.