Knowledge about the assessment and management of undernutrition: a pilot questionnaire in a UK teaching hospital

Nightingale, Julie; Reeves, Jane

doi:10.1016/s0261-5614(99)80045-4

Cited by 67 publications

(58 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…However, previous surveys of health professionals regarding the assessment and management of undernutrition concluded that their knowledge was poor and provided a strong argument for further educational initiatives 5 6. The same lack of knowledge of clinical nutrition and its application has also been noted among medical students by researchers in Canada and the USA 7–12.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Evaluation of a novel nutrition education intervention for medical students from across England

et al. 2012

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ObjectivesProblems such as hospital malnutrition (∼40% prevalence in the UK) may be managed better by improving the nutrition education of ‘tomorrow's doctors’. The Need for Nutrition Education Programme aimed to measure the effectiveness and acceptability of an educational intervention on nutrition for medical students in the clinical phase of their training.DesignAn educational needs analysis was followed by a consultative process to gain consensus on a suitable educational intervention. This was followed by two identical 2-day educational interventions with before and after analyses of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP). The 2-day training incorporated six key learning outcomes.SettingTwo constituent colleges of Cambridge University used to deliver the above educational interventions.ParticipantsAn intervention group of 100 clinical medical students from 15 medical schools across England were recruited to attend one of two identical intensive weekend workshops.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe primary outcome measure consisted of change in KAP scores following intervention using a clinical nutrition questionnaire. Secondary outcome measures included change in KAP scores 3 months after the intervention as well as a student-led semiqualitative evaluation of the educational intervention.ResultsStatistically significant changes in KAP scores were seen immediately after the intervention, and this was sustained for 3 months. Mean differences and 95% CIs after intervention were Knowledge 0.86 (0.43 to 1.28); Attitude 1.68 (1.47 to 1.89); Practice 1.76 (1.11 to 2.40); KAP 4.28 (3.49 to 5.06). Ninety-seven per cent of the participants rated the overall intervention and its delivery as ‘very good to excellent’, reporting that they would recommend this educational intervention to colleagues.ConclusionNeed for Nutrition Education Programme has highlighted the need for curricular innovation in the area of clinical health nutrition in medical schools. This project also demonstrates the effectiveness and acceptability of such a curriculum intervention for ‘tomorrow's doctors’. Doctors, dietitians and nutritionists worked well in an effective interdisciplinary partnership when teaching medical students, providing a good model for further work in a healthcare setting.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Evaluation of a novel nutrition education intervention for medical students from across England

et al. 2012

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“…In the late 1990s doctors' knowledge on nutrition was found to be worse than that of Abbreviation: PEG, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. *Corresponding author: Dr Fiona Leslie, fax + 44 1782 553040, email fiona.leslie@uhns.nhs.uk medical students and on a level with that of nurses, scoring an average of seven of a possible twenty on a multiplechoice paper covering aspects of nutritional assessment and requirements and enteral and parenteral nutrition (2) .…”

Section: Nutrition: Knowledge: Training: Curriculamentioning

confidence: 99%

Symposium 9: Competent to care Are all doctors competent in nutrition?

Leslie

Thomas

2009

Proc. Nutr. Soc.

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Optimising nutrition is known to improve outcome in a variety of specialities from elderly care to orthopaedics. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines of 2006 have provided standards to positively influence the profile of nutrition within the National Health Service. However, what role do doctors have in this process? Clearly, not all doctors are competent in nutrition. In a recent US survey only 14% of resident physicians reported feeling adequately trained to provide nutrition counselling. A lack of knowledge has also been demonstrated by general practitioners (GP). The Intercollegiate Group on Nutrition is working to improve nutritional knowledge in British medical graduates. In addition, nutritional care is now a core competency assessed in the UK Foundation Programme curriculum, which can only be a positive step. The assessment process may even influence some of the supervising consultants. What about those doctors currently practising in the UK? Recently, a questionnaire study was undertaken to look at healthcare professionals' knowledge of the benefits and risks of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) feeding. Important gaps in knowledge were found that were positively correlated with whether respondents had received relevant education. Referral for a PEG was considered to be appropriate for patients with advanced dementia by 31% of the GP compared with 10% of the consultants. Only 4% of these GP had received any training in this ethically-sensitive area at a time when they may be asked to countersign consent forms for patients who lack competence. So, what is the way forward? Positive steps are being taken in the undergraduate curriculum and Foundation Programme. Perhaps it is the responsibility of those doctors with the skills and opportunities to promote good nutritional knowledge in those doctors already practising in the UK.

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“…found little difference between the nutritional knowledge, beliefs and actions of health professionals and the general public, whilst Nightingale and Reeves (1999) has shown that knowledge about assessment and management of undernutrition is poor amongst all professions assessed except dietitians. Although primary care workers have a broad understanding of recommendations for healthy eating, there is confusion over specifics (Murray, Narayan, Mitchell, & Witte, 1993), leading to difficulties in translating knowledge into practical, individualised dietary advice.…”

Section: Nutritional Knowledge 465mentioning

confidence: 97%

Nutritional knowledge of health care professionals working in the eating disorders

Cordery¹,

Waller²

2006

Euro Eating Disorders Rev

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Background: Clinicians working in the eating disorders require a good working knowledge of basic nutrition. As different professional groups are trained in this knowledge to different degrees, it is not possible to assume that all clinicians working with the eating disorders have an equivalent knowledge base. The aim of this study is to determine the nutritional knowledge of different groups of professionals working with the eating disorders. Method: The participants were 65 clinicians (dietitians, nurses, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists) working with the eating disorders and a group of 23 non-clinicians. All participants completed a standardised measure of knowledge of nutritional content of a range of foodstuffs, plus a brief form of the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI-2). Results: Dietitians had the highest level of knowledge regarding carbohydrate, protein and fat, but were no different to the other groups in their knowledge of fibre content. The psychiatrists were the next best informed. The clinical psychologists and nurses were no better than the lay group. Levels of knowledge about nutrition were unrelated to most personal characteristics, though there were some links to the clinician's own eating attitudes. Conclusions: Given the central role of nutrition in treating the eating disorders, it is clearly important that teams include professionals with nutritional knowledge. These findings indicate that simple experience in the field is not sufficient to ensure such knowledge, and that specialised dietitians are more likely to be able to provide the necessary treatment resource. Therefore, multidisciplinary teams should include specialist dietetic input.

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Knowledge about the assessment and management of undernutrition: a pilot questionnaire in a UK teaching hospital

Cited by 67 publications

References 10 publications

Evaluation of a novel nutrition education intervention for medical students from across England

Evaluation of a novel nutrition education intervention for medical students from across England

Symposium 9: Competent to care Are all doctors competent in nutrition?

Nutritional knowledge of health care professionals working in the eating disorders

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