Three Nurse-administered Protocols Reduce Nutritional Decline and Frailty in Older Gastrointestinal Surgery Patients: A Cluster Randomized Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To evaluate the effects of the modified Hospital Elder Life Program (mHELP) comprising 3 nurse-administered protocols in older patients undergoing gastrointestinal (GI) surgery.

Design

Cluster randomized trial.

Setting

Two 36-bed GI wards at a university-affiliated medical center in Taiwan.

Participants

Older patients (≥65 years, N = 377) were recruited if they were scheduled for elective GI surgery with an expected length of hospital stay >6 days. After transferring to the GI ward after surgery, participants were randomly assigned to the mHELP or control group (1:1) by room rather than individually because most patient units are double- or triple-occupancy rooms.

Intervention

The mHELP protocols (early mobilization, oral and nutritional assist

SUBMITTER: Chia-Hui Chen C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6607892 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature