How much do residential aged care staff members know about the nutritional needs of residents?
- 11 February 2013
- journal article
- Published by Wiley in International Journal of Older People Nursing
- Vol. 9 (1), 54-64
- https://doi.org/10.1111/opn.12016
Abstract
Background\ud \ud Undernutrition, weight loss and dehydration are major clinical issues for people with dementia in residential care, with excessive weight loss contributing to increased risk of frailty, immobility, illness and premature morbidity. This paper discusses a nutritional knowledge and attitudes survey conducted as part of a larger project focused on improving nutritional intake of people with dementia within a residential care facility in Brisbane, Australia.\ud \ud Aims\ud \ud The specific aims of the survey were to identify (i) knowledge of the nutritional needs of aged care facility residents; (ii) mealtime practices; and (iii) attitudes towards mealtime practices and organisation.\ud \ud Methods\ud \ud A survey based on those used in other healthcare settings was completed by 76 staff members. The survey included questions about nutritional knowledge, opinions of the food service, frequency of feeding assistance provided and feeding assessment practices.\ud \ud Results\ud \ud Nutritional knowledge scores ranged from 1 to 9 of a possible 10, with a mean score of 4.67. While 76% of respondents correctly identified risk factors associated with malnutrition in nursing home residents, only 38% of participants correctly identified the need for increased protein and energy in residents with pressure ulcers, and just 15% exhibited correct knowledge of fluid requirements. Further, while nutritional assessment was considered an important part of practice by 83% of respondents, just 53% indicated that they actually carried out such assessments. Identified barriers to promoting optimal nutrition included insufficient time to observe residents (56%); being unaware of residents' feeding issues (46%); poor knowledge of nutritional assessments (44%); and unappetising appearance of food served (57%).\ud \ud Conclusion\ud \ud An important step towards improving health and quality of life for residents of aged care facilities would be to enhance staff nutritional awareness and assessment skills. This should be carried out through increased attention to both preservice curricula and on-the-job training.\ud \ud Implications for practice\ud \ud The residential facility staff surveyed demonstrated low levels of nutrition knowledge, which reflects findings from the international literature. This has implications for the provision of responsive care to residents of these facilities and should be explored furtherKeywords
This publication has 38 references indexed in Scilit:
- Facteurs de risque associés à l'apport insuffisant en eau chez les personnes âgées vivant dans les centres d'hébergement: une revue de la littératureCanadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 2010
- Management and perception of hospital undernutrition—A positive change among Danish doctors and nursesClinical Nutrition, 2007
- Nursing Home Food ServicesLinked with Risk of MalnutritionCanadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 2007
- The effects of nutrition education on professionals' practice and on the nutrition of aged residents in dementia wardsEuropean Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007
- Position of the American Dietetic Association: Liberalization of the Diet Prescription Improves Quality of Life for Older Adults in Long-Term CareJournal of the American Dietetic Association, 2005
- Identifying the elderly at risk for malnutritionClinics in Geriatric Medicine, 2002
- Malnutrition of the elderly patient in hospital: risk factors, detection and managementReviews in Clinical Gerontology, 2001
- Nutritional Management in Long-Term Care: Development of a Clinical GuidelineThe Journals of Gerontology: Series A, 2000
- Nutritional Knowledge of Nurses in Long-Term Health Care FacilitiesJournal of Nutrition For the Elderly, 1991