Nutrition Screening

Nutrition Screening

A process used to identify patients who are at nutrition risk and determine who may need a more detailed nutrition assessment.

Purpose of Nutrition Screening

To determine nutrition risk, identify whether a more detailed nutrition assessment is needed, and provide efficient and cost-effective nutrition services.

Nutrition Risk

The likelihood that a patient has or may develop a nutrition-related problem requiring further assessment or intervention.

Why Nutrition Screening is Needed

Not every patient in a hospital or community setting needs nutrition services, so screening helps nutrition professionals efficiently identify those who do.

Screening into the Nutrition Care Process

The process of identifying patients who may need nutrition care and referring them into the Nutrition Care Process.

Legal Transfer of Care Through Screening

Nutrition screening legally transfers a portion of the patient's care to a nutrition professional when nutrition services are needed.

Screening Time Frame

The period established by a healthcare facility in which every patient should be screened for nutrition risk.

RDN Referral Time Frame

The period established by a healthcare facility for when patients who are flagged as being at nutrition risk should be seen by a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN).

Nutrition Screening Tool

A tool used to quickly identify patients who may be at nutrition risk and need further assessment.

Quick and Easy Screening Tool

A screening tool should be simple and efficient enough to use across different practice settings.

Validity

The extent to which a screening tool measures what it is intended to measure.

Reliability

The extent to which a screening tool produces consistent results when used appropriately.

Valid Screening Tool

A tool that accurately measures nutrition risk or the characteristics it is designed to measure.

Reliable Screening Tool

A tool that provides consistent results.

Appropriate Screening Population

A screening tool should be valid and reliable for the specific population and practice setting where it is being used.

Who Can Use Nutrition Screening Tools

Screening tools are established by RDNs but can be used by other appropriately trained individuals.

Rescreening

Repeating nutrition screening within an appropriate time frame to identify changes in a patient's nutrition risk.

Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST)

A nutrition screening tool that is valid for hospitalized adult patients and has good evidence for sensitivity and specificity.

MST Population

Hospitalized adult patients.

MST Evidence Grade

The MST earned a Grade I (good evidence) from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Evidence Analysis Library for sensitivity and specificity.

Sensitivity

The ability of a screening tool to correctly identify people who have the condition or risk being screened for.

Specificity

The ability of a screening tool to correctly identify people who do not have the condition or risk being screened for.

Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST)

A nutrition screening tool designed to be used by many different healthcare professionals.

MUST Population

Medical or surgical hospitalized patients.

Nutrition Risk Screening (NRS-2002)

A nutrition screening tool designed for use with hospitalized patients.

NRS-2002 Population

Hospitalized patients.