Integration of nutrition screening into case management practice.

Nurse case managers who are responsible for identifying the needs of those requiring case management intervention are ideal professionals to recognize patients who are at risk of developing malnutrition or who are already malnourished. The primary objective of case management is to provide proactive, comprehensive assessment of individuals before a preventable health crisis occurs. The objectives of nutrition screening complement those of case management because the underlying benefit to the organization and the patient is the decrease in morbidity and mortality rates, length of stay, and cost. This article provides information on nutrition screening and its impact on patient outcomes, techniques for integrating nutrition screening into case management practice, tools for conducting nutrition screening, and information that may be helpful in communicating nutrition-related needs to providers and other healthcare professionals.