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Is altered nutritional status the root cause of your clients' negative outcomes?

The impact of altered nutritional status is costly. Surgical patients have 2-3 times the risk of complications, length of stay is extended by 90%, and charges are 35-75% higher. Risk factors are numerous; therefore, collaboration among all members of the health care team is required to impact patient outcomes positively. The purpose of this article is to review the significance of alteration in nutrition and its impact on patient outcomes. The article demonstrates two approaches to improve the quality of care given to clients with an identified alteration in nutritional status: a clinical research project and a quality improvement project.