[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [Nursing](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/) › [Nutrition and elimination](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/areas/nutrition/) › Nutrition screening and helping patients eat

# Nutrition screening and helping patients eat

- Fundamental

Nurses spot the risk of malnutrition early (weight, intake, swallowing) and help the patient eat what they need.

Updated Nov 5, 2026

## Key points

- Measure actual weight and height; do not rely only on a stated weight or the old chart.
- Call for weight loss over 10 % in 6 months, or a change over 1 kg in 24 hours (usually fluid).
- Coughing or choking while eating: stop the meal and call.
- Sit the patient upright, give oral care and hand hygiene before meals, and open the containers.
- Albumin and prealbumin change with inflammation and liver or kidney disease: read them with the clinical picture.

## What it is

Malnutrition in hospital is common and slows recovery. Screening uses a few questions and measurements to find who needs a full assessment: unintentional weight loss, poor intake, chewing or swallowing problems and illnesses that raise needs. For older adults there is, for example, the short form of the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA-SF). Beyond screening, nurses prepare the patient and the setting so they can eat.

## Key points

- WHO describes three forms of malnutrition: undernutrition, micronutrient-related malnutrition, and overweight or obesity.
- BMI: under 18.5 underweight; 18.5 to 24.9 desirable; 25 to 29.9 overweight; 30 or more obese.
- A weight loss under 5 % in 6 months is considered acceptable.
- The MNA-SF is a screening tool for older adults who are malnourished or at risk.
- Weak chewing and poor dentition are signs of a possible nutritional deficit.

## Components

- History: illnesses, surgery, usual diet, preferences, cultural and religious practices, allergies and special diets.
- Risk factors: swallowing disorders, eating disorders, alcohol use, prolonged fasting, stress or depression.
- Measurements: weight, height, BMI and weight change over time.
- Mouth exam: mucosa, ulcers, tongue, dentition and whether swallowing causes coughing.
- Laboratory tests as ordered: albumin, prealbumin, haemoglobin and others.

## What it is for

- Finding the patient at risk early, for referral to the dietitian.
- Choosing the diet texture according to dentition and swallowing.
- Following progress with weight and recorded intake.
- Working with the dietitian on calorie needs and enteral feeding decisions.

## In nursing practice

- Prepare the setting: remove odours and unpleasant sights, and avoid painful procedures at mealtimes.
- If the patient has pain or nausea, coordinate the ordered treatment before the meal.
- Encourage self-feeding; for people with low vision, describe the tray using clock positions.
- Respect cultural and religious preferences, and reheat food that has gone cold.
- Where indicated, offer high-protein, high-calorie finger foods, and allow pauses between bites.

## Common mistakes

- Recording a stated weight instead of weighing the patient.
- Reading albumin alone as a measure of nutrition.
- Leaving the tray closed and out of reach of a patient who cannot open it.
- Not recording how much the patient actually ate.
- Not referring a patient with significant weight loss to the dietitian.

## Test yourself

Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.

## Which weight loss over 6 months is significant and reported?

A loss of more than 10 % of body weight in 6 months. A loss under 5 % in that period is considered acceptable.

## Why is albumin not enough to assess nutrition?

Because it changes with inflammation, liver or kidney disease and other factors; it is read with weight, intake and the clinical picture.

## What do you do if the patient coughs or chokes while eating?

Stop the meal and call, because it may be a sign of dysphagia with a risk of aspiration.

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## Connections

## Related 2

- [Dysphagia and aspiration precautions](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/dysphagia-and-aspiration-precautions/)
- [Weight, height and daily weights](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/weight-height-and-daily-weights/)

[← All of nursing](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/)

Educational content for students; it does not replace your institution's protocols, supervised clinical training or a prescriber's order. Dose-calculation examples use made-up numbers: they are educational, not a clinical order.

Sources: [Nursing Fundamentals, 14.3 Nutrition: Applying the Nursing Process](https://med.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Nursing/Nursing_Fundamentals_(OpenRN)/14%3A_Nutrition/14.03%3A_Applying_the_Nursing_Process) (Open RN (Chippewa Valley Technical College), LibreTexts, 2021); [Nursing Fundamentals, 14.2 Nutrition Basic Concepts](https://med.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Nursing/Nursing_Fundamentals_(OpenRN)/14%3A_Nutrition/14.02%3A_Nutrition_Basic_Concepts) (Open RN (Chippewa Valley Technical College), LibreTexts, 2021); [Malnutrition (fact sheet)](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition) (World Health Organization, 2024).

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Representative model, for educational purposes only.

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License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/nursing/nutrition-screening-and-helping-patients-eat/