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Nutrition: a forgotten aspect of surgical care

Kate Woodhead RGN DMS provides an insight into the importance of optimal nutritional management of patients undergoing surgery and how this can lead to improved outcomes.

One aspect of surgical assessment and practice is an understanding of the impact of the surgery on wound healing and post-operative recovery. When an elective surgical patient is called to pre-assessment, it indicates that the day for surgery is not far away. What is often missing from the assessment is an evaluation of the patient for malnutrition or under-nutrition. Many patients who present for pre-assessment may be malnourished, indeed, anecdotally, around 50% of all patients lack an appropriate diet. 

The elderly are at particularly high risk. Clinicians need to establish whether patients have lost weight recently, had diarrhoea regularly, lost their appetite, or other aspects of nutritional health, which may be able to be corrected before the surgery takes place. Many patients do not receive any kind of risk assessment or nutritional guidance. There  is, however, a growing body of evidence to suggest that supporting a patient’s nutritional needs may lead to better surgical outcomes and reduce the length of stay. 

The stress of surgery

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Upcoming Events

Central Sterilising Club - Annual Scientific Meeting 2024

Crowne Plaza at Gerrard’s Cross
15th April 2024 – 16th April 2024

DECON UK 2024

National Conference Centre, Birmingham
17th April 2024

Infection Prevention & Control

National Conference Centre, Birmingham
23rd - 24th April 2024

Theatres & Decontamination Conference 2024

Coventry Building Society Arena
16th May 2024

The AfPP Roadshow - Birmingham

Millennium Point, Birmingham
18th May 2024

The AfPP Roadshow - Exeter

University of Exeter
22nd June 2024

Access the latest issue of Clinical Services Journal on your mobile device together with an archive of back issues.

Download the FREE Clinical Services Journal app from your device's App store

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