Nutrition in Wound Healing
Resource to help raise awareness of the role of nutrition in wound healing
Identifying Malnutrition
Malnutrition is a serious condition that affects many patients, yet can often be overlooked (Ripley, 2006). It affects individuals in a variety of ways, and the nurse should be vigilant in identifying patients that may be affected. Research identifies that over 25% of patients admitted to hospital are malnourished, and nutritional status has been shown to often deteriorate during hospital stays (McWhirter and Pennington, 1994).
Select a sub-heading to read about different ways in which malnutrition may be identified and assessed.
