Promoting nurses’ behaviour change in nutritional care

Abstract

Approximately 35% of older adults with care needs are malnourished and this has negative consequences for their health. Nutritional care for older adults is of utmost importance to fight malnutrition. The focus of this PhD project was on how nutritional care is provided by nurses. Although nurses stated that they consider nutritional care important, it is suboptimal for older adults in hospital and home care.

Several studies were conducted with nurses, older adults and informal caregivers. In these studies, several factors which influence behaviour of nurses in nutritional care were identified. The studies showed that there is e.g. a lack of sufficient knowledge about nutritional care, that nutritional care has low prioritisation and that there is a moderate awareness about risk factors for malnutrition.

Based on these factors, an educational intervention was developed to enhance knowledge and behaviour of nurses regarding nutritional care. Motivating nurses was taken as a starting point. This has led to the development of a brief and concise microlearning intervention consisting of 30 statements about nursing nutritional care for older adults, which are presented through an online platform.

The microlearning intervention is an important first step to enhance nutritional care. Nurses are willing to learn, but behaviour change is complex. But there are opportunities enabling nurses to adequately integrate nutritional care in their routine practice. They can provide proper nutritional care together with other professionals, older adults and their relatives. Ultimately, it is important that older adults stay healthy. Therefore, good nutrition is crucial.