Evaluating the effectiveness of a nutrition assistant role in a head and neck cancer clinic

Kiss, Nicole; Gilliland, Sarah; Quinn, Phoebe; Atkins, Lauren; Black, Jacqueline; Frowen, Jacqui

doi:10.1111/1747-0080.12462

Cited by 11 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…The other five abstracts described the evaluation of the effectiveness of new nutrition-related clinical processes, pathways, models of care, and/or roles [42][43][44][45][46]. One conference abstract and the one article evaluated the benefit of training a nutrition assistant to perform nutrition screening and intervention for oncology patients and found that the role of nutrition assistants could benefit patient outcomes [42,46]. Further information about the seven abstracts is summarized in Table 5.…”

Section: Review Of Malnutrition and Nutrition-focused Qips In Cancer mentioning

confidence: 99%

Opportunities for Quality Improvement Programs (QIPs) in the Nutrition Support of Patients with Cancer

Arensberg

Richards²,

Benjamin

et al. 2020

Healthcare

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Malnutrition in patients with cancer is a ubiquitous but neglected problem that can reduce patient survival/quality of life and increase treatment interruptions, readmission rates, and healthcare costs. Malnutrition interventions, including nutrition support through dietary counseling, diet fortification, oral nutrition supplements (ONS), and enteral and parenteral nutrition can help improve health outcomes. However, nutritional care standards and interventions for cancer are ambiguous and inconsistently applied. The lack of systematic malnutrition screening and intervention in ambulatory cancer care has especially significant consequences and thus the nutrition support of patients with cancer represents an area for quality improvement. United States healthcare payment models such as the Oncology Care Model are linked to quality of care and health outcomes. Quality improvement programs (QIPs) can advance patient-centered care, perfect care processes, and help healthcare professionals meet their quality measure performance goals. Malnutrition QIPs like the Malnutrition Quality Improvement Initiative (MQii) have been shown to be effective in identifying and treating malnutrition. However, little is known about or has been reported on nutrition or malnutrition-focused QIPs in cancer care. This paper provides information to support translational research on quality improvement and outlines the gaps and potential opportunities for QIPs in the nutrition support of patients with cancer.

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Section: Review Of Malnutrition and Nutrition-focused Qips In Cancer mentioning

confidence: 99%

Opportunities for Quality Improvement Programs (QIPs) in the Nutrition Support of Patients with Cancer

Arensberg

Richards²,

Benjamin

et al. 2020

Healthcare

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show abstract

“…Both the biopsy process and the treatment of HNC suffers, which includes radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy, have adverse influences on patients’ health related quality of life [ 17 ]. Distortions of voice, taste, chewing, swallowing, hearing, and breathing may produce psychological burden for decades after the end of the treatment course [ 18 ]. Critical weight loss (5%) during treatment was observed to affect 66% of patients with HNC [ 19 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Nutrition Counseling in Head and Neck Cancer Sufferers Undergoing Antineoplastic Therapy: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

et al. 2022

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Head and neck cancer (HNC) sufferers usually encounter arduous nutritional problems when they are receiving antineoplastic therapy. Consequently, the presence of anxiety and depression is commonly observed in this population. This study aimed to explore the physical and psychological influence of nutritional counseling in patients with HNC. Patients receiving concurrent chemo-radiotherapy were randomly assigned to the nutritional counseling group (n = 32, 52.45%) and the control group (n = 29, 47.54%) according to their treatment patterns. In the nutritional counseling group, registered dietitians provided face-to-face counseling during the antineoplastic treatment course at least every two weeks. Nutrient intake amount, relevant nutritional indexes, quality of life, and the degree of anxiety and depression were compared between the two groups. We observed a decrease in the calorie and protein intake amount in both groups, while the decrease in the control group is even worse. The weight loss is more obvious in the control group. The HADS scores in the intervention group were significantly lower than that in the control group (p < 0.05). The Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) scores in the intervention group were significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.05). The level of serum total protein, serum albumin, transferrin, and the thickness of the triceps skin fold decreased less in the intervention group (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that nutrition counseling is essential for the maintenance of calorie and protein intake in HNC suffers, which contributes to an improvement in the physical and psychological states. The impacts observed in this pilot study warrant further exploration in a larger prospective trial.

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“…[ 23 , 25 ] These initiatives have encouraged expansion of AHAs’ scope of practice and greater utilisation of AHAs by professions other than physiotherapy and occupational therapy. [ 26 , 27 ] Our findings potentially reflect that AHAs working in the Victorian public healthcare setting are well supported to undertake a predominantly patient-facing role.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

Delegation of patient related tasks to allied health assistants: a time motion study

Snowdon

King

Dennett

et al. 2022

BMC Health Serv Res

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Background Allied health assistants (AHAs) are support staff who complete patient and non-patient related tasks under the delegation of an allied health professional. Delegating patient related tasks to AHAs can benefit patients and allied health professionals. However, it is unclear whether the AHA workforce is utilised optimally in the provision of patient care. The purpose of this study was to determine the proportion of time AHAs spend on patient related tasks during their working day and any differences across level of AHA experience, clinical setting, and profession delegating the task. Methods A time motion study was conducted using a self-report, task predominance work sampling method. AHAs were recruited from four publicly-funded health organisations in Victoria, Australia. AHAs worked with dietitians, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, podiatrists, social workers, speech pathologists, psychologists, and exercise physiologists. The primary outcome was quantity of time spent by AHAs on individual task-categories. Tasks were grouped into two main categories: patient or non-patient related activities. Data were collected from July 2020 to May 2021 using an activity capture proforma specifically designed for this study. Logistic mixed-models were used to investigate the extent to which level of experience, setting, and delegating profession were associated with time spent on patient related tasks. Results Data from 51 AHAs showed that AHAs spent more time on patient related tasks (293 min/day, 64%) than non-patient related tasks (167 min/day, 36%). Time spent in community settings had lower odds of being delegated to patient related tasks than time in the acute hospital setting (OR 0.44, 95%CI 0.28 to 0.69, P < 0.001). Time delegated by exercise physiologists and dietitians was more likely to involve patient related tasks than time delegated by physiotherapists (exercise physiology: OR 3.77, 95% 1.90 to 7.70, P < 0.001; dietetics: OR 2.60, 95%CI 1.40 to 1.90, P = 0.003). Time delegated by other professions (e.g. podiatry, psychology) had lower odds of involving patient related tasks than physiotherapy (OR 0.37, 95%CI 0.16 to 0.85, P = 0.02). Conclusion AHAs may be underutilised in community settings, and by podiatrists and psychologists. These areas may be targeted to understand appropriateness of task delegation to optimise AHAs’ role in providing patient care.

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Evaluating the effectiveness of a nutrition assistant role in a head and neck cancer clinic

Abstract: The nutrition assistant role resulted in improved patient satisfaction and maintenance of nutritional outcomes demonstrating the effectiveness of this role in supporting the management of head and neck cancer patients within a multidisciplinary treatment clinic.

Cited by 11 publications

References 17 publications

Opportunities for Quality Improvement Programs (QIPs) in the Nutrition Support of Patients with Cancer

Opportunities for Quality Improvement Programs (QIPs) in the Nutrition Support of Patients with Cancer

Impact of Nutrition Counseling in Head and Neck Cancer Sufferers Undergoing Antineoplastic Therapy: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

Delegation of patient related tasks to allied health assistants: a time motion study

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