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Changes in nutritional care after implementing national guidelines—a 10-year follow-up study

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 72, pages 1000–1006 (2018)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/objectives

In 2004, a survey conducted in Scandinavia documented insufficient knowledge in nutrition care among doctors and nurses. The survey also revealed a significant discrepancy in nutritional practice, where Norway ranked lowest, thus leading to several actions including elaboration of national guidelines. The aim of this study was to evaluate potential changes in nutritional practice, as well as assessing barriers to nutrition therapy, 10 years after the former study.

Subjects/methods

In the first half of 2014, a total of 4000 doctors and nurses received a questionnaire, similar to the one used in 2004. The questions dealt with nutritional practice, routines, knowledge, barriers, and use of clinical dietitians (CDs) in the hospitals.

Results

The response rate was 22%. Routines in nutritional practice were significantly improved. The level of knowledge among respondents were increased, but lack of knowledge and lack of assignment of responsibility were still important barriers. The patients’ contradiction could be a barrier to the use of enteral nutrition. CDs are used in a small amount of patients, and wards with good nutritional routines have a better cooperation with CDs than wards with insufficient routines.

Conclusions

Routines in clinical nutrition have improved from 2004 to 2014. Barriers in the daily practice among health care workers like lack of knowledge and lack of assignment of responsibility are still important, and health care professionals seem to let the patient himself or herself be a barrier to the use of enteral nutrition.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Nutrition, University hospital of North-Norway, Sykehusveien 38, Tromsø, 9019, Norway

    Siv Hilde Fjeldstad

  2. Cancer Clinic, Trondheim University Hospital, Prinsesse Kristinas gate 3, Trondheim, 7030, Norway

    Lene Thoresen

  3. Department of Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Kirkeveien 166 B, Oslo, 0450, Norway

    Morten Mowé

  4. Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0313, Norway

    Morten Mowé

  5. Gastrosurgery Research Group, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, University Hospital North-Norway, Tromsø, Norway

    Øivind Irtun

  6. Department of Gastroenterologic Surgery, University Hospital of North-Norway, Sykehusveien 38, Tromsø, 9019, Norway

    Øivind Irtun

Authors
  1. Siv Hilde Fjeldstad
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  2. Lene Thoresen
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  3. Morten Mowé
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  4. Øivind Irtun
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Correspondence to Siv Hilde Fjeldstad.

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Fjeldstad, S.H., Thoresen, L., Mowé, M. et al. Changes in nutritional care after implementing national guidelines—a 10-year follow-up study. Eur J Clin Nutr 72, 1000–1006 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-017-0050-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-017-0050-5

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