Nutritional Risk Screening by Trained Nurses in Patients Admitted to Internal Medicine and Orthopaedics: Results From the VAL ‐ NUT Cross‐Sectional Study

ABSTRACT Aims To assess the prevalence of malnutrition risk, especially of undernutrition, among patients admitted to the Internal Medicine and Orthopaedics wards at Michele and Pietro Ferrero Hospital, Italy, using the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS‐2002) tool, administered by trained nursing staff, and to evaluate the adherence to related care interventions. Design Cross‐sectional study. Methods We included 248 adult patients, screened by trained nurses for nutritional risk within 48 h of admission using the NRS‐2002 tool, which takes into account patients' Body Mass Index, recent weight loss, reduced dietary intake, and disease severity. Information on nursing interventions was also collected. Results We identified 36 subjects at risk of malnutrition with NRS ≥ 3. Prevalence was higher in Internal Medicine, reflecting differences in patient characteristics and clinical complexity. Patients at risk were older, had longer hospital stays, and higher risks of falls and pressure sores. Nursing interventions such as proper meal selection, administration of hypercaloric‐hyperproteic supplements, and completion of food diary were implemented in most cases, although adherence was not complete. Post‐training questionnaire showed that, overall, nurses integrated nutritional screening into practice, but areas for improvement were identified. Conclusion Results confirmed the high prevalence of malnutrition risk in hospitalised patients, especially in Internal Medicine. Proper training and empowerment can enable nurses to effectively identify and manage patients at intermediate risk of malnutrition. Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care Nurses can play key roles in hospital nutritional care by facilitating early identification and appropriate management of patients at malnutrition risk. Impact Malnutrition is very common among inpatients. Trained and empowered nurses can perform nutritional screening at admission to identify and early manage patients at risk, thereby helping to prevent increased morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs. Reporting Method STROBE guidelines. Patient or Public Contribution None.