question.
The nutritional care providers
In most hospitals, responsibilities for nutritional care, nutritional support and service of food are not clearly assigned. Good nutritional practices are often lacking, which suggests that all personnel involved in the nutritional care and support of patients need training in nutrition. Protocols need to be drawn up to aid the early identification and treatment of patients at nutritional risk. Better communication and co-operation between different staff categories is needed. Finally, the political and administrative level must give food service and nutritional care and support a higher priority.
4.3.1 Clinical nutritionists/dietitians
Clinical nutritionists/dietitians in Ireland are already trained to a high standard in the field of clinical nutrition, which includes extensive training in under-nutrition. There should be an identified programme of post-graduate studies for clinical nutritionists/dietitians leading to clinical specialist grade in nutritional support and related fields.
4.3.2 Physicians
Nutrition should be included as a subject in medical schools and should cover the basic physiology and pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of under-nutrition. This would enable physicians to orient themselves easily within the large inter-disciplinary field of nutrition.
4.3.3 Nurses
Nutrition should be included as a subject as part of the under-graduate curriculum, covering the basic physiology and pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of undernutrition. There should be special emphasis on nutrition risk assessment and monitoring. The role of the nurse in nutritional care of patients should be standardised and taught as part of nursing training. Nurses should consider nutrition as an integrated part of patient care.