The Hospitalist's Role in Ensuring Optimal Nutrition for Hospitalized Patients-References

References

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The document references a comprehensive body of literature highlighting the critical role hospitalists play in ensuring optimal nutrition for hospitalized patients. Nutrition assessment and screening are foundational steps in identifying malnutrition risk, with established guidelines from expert societies like A.S.P.E.N. and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics outlining best practices for documentation and intervention.<br /><br />Hospitalists must understand core nutritional concepts including energy requirements, macronutrient metabolism (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids), and nutrient digestion and absorption. Clinical conditions such as sepsis, trauma, cancer, renal and liver disease significantly affect nutritional needs and management approaches. Proper nutritional support is associated with improved patient outcomes, particularly in critically ill patients.<br /><br />Nutritional support modalities include enteral nutrition—a preferred method involving feeding via the gastrointestinal tract—and parenteral nutrition, administered intravenously when enteral feeding is not feasible. Knowledge of enteral feeding formulas, access devices (e.g., feeding tubes, PICC lines), and potential complications is essential. Similarly, parenteral nutrition requires awareness of formulation, risks such as infections and thrombosis, and management strategies.<br /><br />Hospitalists are encouraged to utilize evidence-based guidelines and multidisciplinary collaboration, including dietitians and nutrition support teams, to bridge the gap between recommendations and practice. Adequate calorie and protein delivery, careful monitoring, and timely adjustment of nutritional plans are key to optimizing healing, immune function, and overall recovery.<br /><br />This collection of references serves as a foundational resource for hospitalists to improve nutrition care delivery, manage specialized nutrition support, and thereby enhance clinical outcomes for hospitalized adult patients.

Keywords

hospitalists

nutrition assessment

malnutrition risk

A.S.P.E.N.

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

enteral nutrition

parenteral nutrition

critical illness

nutritional support guidelines

multidisciplinary collaboration