Print 
Share 
Text 
To reset, hold the Ctrl key, then press 0.
Patients such as Philip Barry Yaverbaum arrive at The Ottawa Hospital with a range of nutritional needs.
It starts with two simple questions when patients are being admitted to 8 West Medicine Unit at The Ottawa Hospital. But Clinical Dietitian Joseph Murphy said the More2Eat project benefits for patients and staff have been huge.
“An unfortunately large number of patients used to become more malnourished while in hospital,” Murphy said. “That could be because they’ve had surgery and can’t eat, for example. By doing this screening up front, and through subsequent improved monitoring, we can prevent that from happening.”
In 2013, the Canadian Malnutrition Task Force revealed that nearly 45 percent of patients admitted to hospital in Canada were malnourished.
The questions – Have you unintentionally lost weight in the last six months? Have you been eating less than usual for the past two weeks? – were the first of four practices put in place during the More2Eat project, aimed at improving patient nutrition in five Canadian hospitals. Patients who answered ‘yes’ to both were at nutrition risk and were referred to a registered dietitian or a diet technician to have their nutrition status assessed.
The project then improved monitoring of how much patients were eating. If it was less than half their meals for up to three days, a dietitian would intervene. Staff were also coached in how to identify and remove barriers to eating, such as positioning trays for easy access; scheduling x-rays or other tests outside meal times; and making sure patients have their dentures in and glasses on.
“These practices are clear, they’re effective and they are easy to implement,” Murphy said. “They also raise awareness about the importance of nutrition, because you cannot heal without proper nutrition.”
Nurses play a critical role in More2Eat. While the study involves some extra work, such as weighing patients and learning to judge percentages of food consumed, Clinical Care Leader Kelly Lafontaine said it fosters greater collaboration among staff.
“It was great to have the support from the dietary staff,” she said. “We also learned about services such as ‘ready trays’ which nurses can order from Food Services for patients who have difficulty opening packages and removing lids. These come up with everything already open and set up.”
Murphy said the study underscores that patient nutrition is everyone’s responsibility.
“Food Services personnel became more engaged, and nurses and physicians are more engaged. There is more collaboration because roles are clearly defined,” he said. “The dietitian is then able to focus on the malnourished patient who needs more interventions, more help and direction.”
The results are still being analyzed, but Murphy hopes More2Eat data will show quicker patient recoveries and lower rates of re-admission. He will present findings during Canadian Malnutrition Week, Sept. 25 to 29.
“It’s hard to lower re-admission rates when someone is already malnourished,” he said. “But if they don’t become more malnourished while they are in hospital, and they get a plan for support when they leave the hospital, I’m hoping that will reduce re-admission rates.”
Comment on this post
Support patient care and research at
The Ottawa Hospital
You might also like…
“We never thought we’d save THIS much”: Big win for sustainability at the Riverside Campus
With just a few simple fixes and replacements, our facilities team has massively reduced the carbon footprint at the Riverside Campus — the equivalent of taking 229 cars off the road for a year. So, what’s the team’s secret green sauce? Read this article to find out…
The power of community @ TOH
Last year, Registered Nurse Macrina Valcin created an intricate display on her unit for Black History Month, transforming the unit’s bulletin board into a powerful celebration of Black people, culture and history. This year, thanks to the warm support and encouragement from a newly formed inclusive community, Macrina is showcasing her passion project to a much larger audience.
These volunteers turn chocolates and stuffed animals into MRI machines
We all know that a gift has the power to bring a smile to someone’s face. But did you know that the gifts you buy at our gift shops also have the power to help us buy important medical equipment? Our shops are run by a group of fundraising volunteers and staff from The Ottawa Hospital Auxiliary. Here are some other ways their efforts help make meaningful change.
Mental health professionals and paramedics team up to help people in crisis
Seven days a week, a mental health professional from The Ottawa Hospital hits the road with a paramedic from the Ottawa Paramedic Service. Together, they respond to 911 calls for mental health emergencies across the city. Social worker Cindy Gill and paramedic Scott Farrell share how the Mental Wellbeing Response Team provides quality care for patients out in the community.
Watch: NICU babies and staff receive special Challenge Coins from Ottawa Fire Services
This may be the feel-good video of the year! After helping carry our tiniest patients out of harm’s way on October 27, firefighters return to the General Campus NICU to present staff, families and babies with a special gift.
Loud and proud: The Ottawa Hospital at Capital Pride 2023
“You belong! We belong! Together we are strong!” Come behind the scenes at Capital Pride 2023 to see how we celebrated with the 2SLGBTQI+ community in this super-colourful photo essay.
This is wonderful! It puts a very big smile on my face!