The purpose of this study was to analyze the importance-performance of clinical
nutrition management in
convalescent hospitals. The
research was carried out based on
questionnaires administered from March to April, 2015 to 73
dietitians at 40
convalescent hospitals in the Gyeongnam area. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean scores for importance (4.01/5.00) and performance (2.95/5.00) of clinical
nutrition management. The importance and performance grid
analysis showed that participation in a nutritional management committee,
administration of
patients using a cooperation program among
hospital departments, cooperation with a medical team on
patient's
nutrition status,
nutrition initial
assessment, nutrition care process for
patients showing
malnutrition,
nutrition care process for
tube feeding patients, management of a
therapeutic diet,
meal management using dietary slip instructions including a
therapeutic diet, and explication of a
therapeutic diet for
patients scored high regarding importance and performance (doing great area).
Medical records on
patient's
nutrition management, and
nutrition counseling for requested
patient scored low regarding the importance and high regarding performance (overdone area). Participation in medical rounds, personal
nutrition education for
patients, group
nutrition education for
patients,
nutrition education for medical teams, development of a menu for
therapeutic diet and standardized recipes, and
provision of information on
diet therapy for
patients after discharge scored low regarding importance and performance (low priority area).
Accreditation of
convalescent hospitals and interest of medical professionals in clinical
nutrition management were effective variables for the importance-performance gap of clinical
nutrition management. In conclusion, the
accreditation process and positive
awareness of medical professionals with regard to clinical
nutrition management had positive effects on reduction of the importance-performance gap in clinical
nutrition management at
convalescent hospitals. The strength of clinical
nutrition management in the
accreditation and development of an
education program for increasing medical team or
administrator interest in clinical
nutrition management could
lead to improvement of clinical
nutrition management for
elderly patients in
convalescent hospitals.