Preventing Malnutrition and Restoring Nutritional Status in Hospitalized Children

Developing an Organization to Improve the Screening and Care of Starved Children in Hospital

This cluster-randomized trial will evaluate the impact of a multifaceted intervention (including electronic medical alerts) coordinated by a Nutritional Support Team, on adherence to recommended practices for care of starved children, among health personnel of a large university hospital. A key component of the study is to assess whether improved adherence to guidelines leads to a reduction in rates of complications.

Inclusion Criteria:

• medical and surgical units in a large teaching hospital providing pediatric acute care.
• any hospital staff with direct patient care who are affiliated with a single unit (includes physicians, nurses, nursing assistants, physiotherapists, dieticians.
• all children recorded as malnourished at their entrance in hospital

Exclusion Criteria:

• neonatal and intensive care units.
• any hospital staff with direct patient care who are not affiliated with a single unit.
• age under one month, liver or kidney abnormalities, severe heart failure, stay less than 2 days.