Nutritional assessment

Question 1

Qs

Answer 1

Pt able to feed themselves?
Pt able to prepare own meals?
Pt able to do their own shopping?
Change in appetite and weight loss
Problems with dentition or swallowing?
Establishing usual dietary intake - frequency of meals, portion sizes and quality of diet

Question 2

Step 1

Answer 2

Measure height and weight

Calculate BMI using MUST chart

Question 3

Step 2

Answer 3

Unplanned weight loss in past 3-6 months? Quantify if so

Calculate weight loss score using MUST chart

Question 4

Step 3

Answer 4

Establish if acutely unwell - has / likely to be no nutritional intake for over 5 days
Use MUST chart to calculate ‘Acute Disease effect score’

Question 5

Step 4

Answer 5

Calculate overall risk of malnutrition by adding all of these scores together

Question 6

Step 5

Answer 6

Use the calculate risk of malnutrition to guide further management, using the guidelines on the MUST chart

Low risk (0): Routine care
Medium risk (score 1): Monitor dietary intake; if inadequate aim to improve and increase nutritional intake 
High risk (2): Refer to dietician and aim to improve and increase nutritional intake