Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.65241/wh.8.1.5
Nurses' attitude and awareness of nutrition and malnutrition: A cross-sectional study across clinical settings
Tihana Gašpert
; University of Maribor, Faculty of Health Sciences, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
*
Luigi Apuzzo
; Health workforce Needs, Standards, and Organizational Models of Health Professions, Italian National Agency for regionals healthcare system AGENAS, Rome, Italy
Stavroula Chante
; The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton Road, WV10 0QP, United Kingdom
Ber Oomen
; European Specialist Nurses Organization (ESNO), Brussels, Belgium
Josefine Declaye
; SMILE Simulation Center, University of Liège, Avenue Hippocrate 13, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Elena Brioni
; IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Internal Medicine, Milan, Italy.
Vedrana Vejzović
; Malmö University, Faculty of Health and Society, Department of Care Science, Malmö, Sweden
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Background:
Nurses play a vital role in educating patients about health and nutrition, empowering them to make informed dietary choices. This study aimed to develop a questionnaire to assess European nurses’ knowledge and awareness of nutrition and malnutrition, particularly in relation to oncology and vulnerable patient populations.
Methods:
A cross-sectional survey design was employed between February to April 2025. A structured questionnaire was developed based on existing frameworks and distributed to registered nurses across various European countries. Participants were recruited using a stratified random sampling approach to ensure diversity in geographical location, hospital size, and professional experience. The questionnaire assessed nurses’ education and training, clinical practices, collaboration with other professionals, sources of information, perceived barriers, and suggestions for improvement. Descriptive analyses were performed, reporting absolute frequencies, percentages, and means.
Results:
A total of 98 nurses participated in the survey. The majority recognized nutrition as a vital component of patient care, with 91% acknowledging awareness of the nutritional challenges faced by patients. Despite this, only 48% reported routinely screening for malnutrition, and the use of validated screening tools was inconsistent. While 83% of respondents felt familiar with dietary requirements, just 47% had received formal training in nutritional interventions. Reported barriers to effective nutritional care included lack of time, limited professional autonomy, and inconsistent or conflicting sources of information. Participants expressed a strong interest in further education, particularly in specialized areas such as percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) feeding, nutrition in dementia care, and food labeling.
Conclusions:
The findings highlight a clear need for standardized, accessible nutrition education for nurses across Europe. Limitations include the small, highly educated, and self-selected sample, which may limit generalizability. Findings highlight the need for standardized nutrition education, institutional support, and enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration. Enhancing nurses’ competencies through targeted training, institutional support, and interprofessional collaboration can significantly improve the delivery of nutritional care, particularly for oncology patients and other vulnerable populations
Keywords
Nursing; nutrition; malnutrition; oncology; patient care; professional development; screening; Europe
Hrčak ID:
337866
URI
Publication date:
30.10.2025.
Visits: 625 *