NI staff to screen for malnutrition

Hospital nurses in Northern Ireland should screen all patients for malnutrition on admission and produce and deliver care plans for those at high risk, according to latest guidance.

Hospital nurses in Northern Ireland should screen all patients for malnutrition on admission and produce and deliver care plans for those at high risk, according to latest guidance.

Protected mealtimes and colour-coded tray schemes are also part of the nutrition guidance, published last week.

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has developed the standards in partnership with the RCN.

DHSSPS nursing officer Margaret O'Hagan said: 'It's really about the fundamentals
of nursing – it's about addressing the very simple needs of patients and treating them as you would like to be treated yourself.

'But they will need support to implement some of these things like protected mealtimes and we expect trusts to give nurses help with this to make sure it is carried out.'

Visit www.dhsspsni.gov.uk for a copy of the Get Your 10 a Day standards.