Setting goals with patients at risk of malnutrition: A focus group study with clinical dietitians

Nutrition intervention goals from the perspectives of patients at risk of malnutrition: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Nutrition counselling is characterised by a collaborative approach where the patient and the dietitian establish goals that promote health and self-management. Little is known about goal-setting in nutrition interventions of patients at risk of malnutrition. The present study aims to describe the perspectives and needs of patients at risk of malnutrition regarding goals of nutrition interventions.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 patients from three primary care centres and one hospital in mid-Sweden selected through purposive sampling. Interview transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis following the six-phase guidelines of Braun and Clarke to identify patterns of shared meaning and themes in the data.

RESULTS

The findings highlight that the participants rarely reflected on their personal goals of the nutrition intervention. Instead, they strived to maintain strength and energy, with the nutrition counselling being seen as supportive in managing nutrition impact symptoms. They described discrepancies between their perspectives and the dietitian's regarding weight goals and the diet prescribed to gain weight.

CONCLUSIONS

The study findings suggest that elucidating patients' goals is key to counteracting the discrepancies between the dietitians' clinically oriented goals and patients' perspectives. Goal-setting is part of the dietitian's structured working process, whereas the patient's lifeworld is complex and unstructured. To provide person-centred nutrition care, new strategies and tools are needed to facilitate collaborative goal-setting. These approaches will bridge the gap between clinical goals and patients' individual needs, promoting better alignment and improved outcomes.

An ethnographic study exploring person-centred nutrition care in rehabilitation units

PURPOSE

Person-centred care (PCC) is an essential component of high-quality healthcare across professions and care settings. While research is emerging in subacute nutrition services more broadly, there is limited literature exploring the person-centredness of nutrition care in rehabilitation. This study aimed to explore person-centred nutrition care (PCNC) in rehabilitation units, as described and actioned by patients, support persons and staff. Key factors influencing PCNC were also explored.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An ethnographic study was undertaken across three rehabilitation units. Fifty-eight hours of field work were completed with 165 unique participants to explore PCNC. Field work consisted of observations and interviews with patients, support persons and staff. Data were analysed through the approach of reflexive thematic analysis, informed by PCC theory.

RESULTS

Themes generated were: (1) tensions between patient and staff goals; (2) disconnected moments of PCNC; (3) the necessity of interprofessional communication for PCNC; and (4) the opportunity for PCNC to enable the achievement of rehabilitation goals.

CONCLUSIONS

PCNC was deemed important to different stakeholders but was at times hindered by a focus on profession-specific objectives. Opportunities exist to enhance interprofessional practice to support PCNC in rehabilitation. Future research should consider the system-level factors influencing PCNC in rehabilitation settings.

Self‐reported documentation of goals and outcomes of nutrition care – A cross‐sectional survey study of Scandinavian dietitians

BACKGROUND

The documentation of goals and outcomes of nutrition care in Electronic Health Records is insufficient making further exploration of this of particular interest. Identifying common features in documentation practice among Scandinavian dietitians might provide information that can support improvement in this area.

AIMS

To explore the associations between clinical dietitians' self-reported documentation of patients' goals and outcomes and demographic factors, self-reported implementation of the systematic framework the Nutrition Care Process 4th step (NCP) and its associated terminology, and factors associated with the workplace.

METHODS

Data from a cross-sectional study based on a previously tested web-based survey (INIS) disseminated in 2017 to dietitians in Scandinavia (n = 494) was used. Respondents were recruited through e-mail lists, e-newsletters and social media groups for dietitians. Associations between countries regarding the reported documentation of goals and outcomes, implementation levels of the NCP 4th step, demographic information and factors associated with the workplace were measured through Chi-square test. Associations between dependent- and independent variables were measured through logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

Clinically practicing dietitians (n = 347) working in Scandinavia, Sweden (n = 249), Norway (n = 60), Denmark (n = 38), who had completed dietetic education participated. The reported documentation of goals and outcomes from nutrition intervention was highly associated with the reported implementation of NCP 4th step terminology (OR = 5.26; p = 0.009, OR = 3.56; p = 0.003), support from the workplace (OR = 4.0, p < 0.001, OR = 8.89, p < 0.001) and area of practice (OR = 2.02, p = 0.017). Years since completed dietetic training and educational level did not have any significant associations with documentation practice regarding goals and outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Findings highlight strong associations between the implementation of the NCP 4th step terminology and the documentation of goals and outcomes. Strategies to support dietitians in using standardized terminology and the development of tools for comprehensive documentation of evaluation of goals and outcome are required.