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Nutritional assessment in chronic wound care
1Infectious Disease/Internal Medicine Practice Wound Care Clinic, Albuquerque, NM, and the Center for Clinical Investigation 87122, USA. cwocnred@hotmail.com
Summary
Wound, Ostomy, and Continence (WOC) nurses can assess patient nutritional status using common lab tests. Prealbumin levels are highlighted as the preferred laboratory marker for effective nutritional assessment in wound care patients.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Nutrition
- Wound Care
- Medical Laboratory Science
Background:
- Wound, Ostomy, and Continence (WOC) nurses often serve as the primary clinicians for assessing patient nutritional status.
- Effective nutritional assessment is crucial for optimizing wound healing and patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To equip WOC nurses with the knowledge to perform comprehensive nutritional assessments for all wound care patients.
- To guide WOC nurses in interpreting common laboratory tests relevant to nutritional status.
Main Methods:
- Review of commonly ordered laboratory tests used in nutritional assessment.
- Explanation of the interpretation of key laboratory findings.
- Emphasis on the utility of prealbumin levels in nutritional evaluation.
Main Results:
- Common laboratory tests for nutritional status are identified and explained.
- Guidance on interpreting these laboratory findings is provided.
- Prealbumin is identified as the laboratory test of choice for nutritional assessment in wound care.
Conclusions:
- WOC nurses are well-positioned to conduct essential nutritional assessments.
- Understanding laboratory test interpretation, particularly prealbumin, enhances WOC nursing practice.
- This guidance supports improved patient care through accurate nutritional assessment.