Malnutrition screening and diagnosis tools: Implications for practice

Despite the prevalence of protein-calorie malnutrition (PCM) in acute-care hospitals and long-term care centers, a national and global consensus on nutrition screening and malnutrition diagnosis is lacking. PCM is associated with various acute and chronic complications, such as impaired wound healing, increased risk for infection, debility, and increased risk for rehospitalization. The consequences of PCM are also incredibly costly to both the patient and the healthcare facility. The purpose of this paper is to identify nutrition screening tools and malnutrition diagnosis tools currently being utilized in acute-care healthcare centers across the United States.