What Is Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST)?

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Evaluation of Malnutrion Universal Screening Tool (MUST)
In this essay, the objective is to discuss, assess and evaluate the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool introduced by BAPEN in 2003. An assessment of an elderly patient Mr. X, 92 years old will be reviewed to understand if MUST was really beneficial for the patient who was identified malnutrition following a fall and stay in acute hospital for left Hemiarthroplasty.
The Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) was developed by the Malnutrition advisory group, a standing committee of BAPEN and it has been reviewed regularly since its launch in 2003. It is supported by many governmental and non-governmental organizations including the British Dietetic Association (BDA), the Royal
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All the patients are screened using the tool regularly. The Tool was found to be easy and quick to use and the results are reproducible between different practitioners. It is considered suitable for screening any adult patient in any care setting and can be carried out by any trained practitioner. It can detect protein-energy malnutrition and obesity, although it was not designed to screen for micronutrient deficiencies or toxicities. It is the tool recommended by NICE (2006) and was the tool used for the National Screening Survey 2007. (A Dunne, …show more content…
It is very important that they are screened on regular basis using MUST tool to identify if they are facing the nutritional issues. Anna Scott cited in her article ‘’Screening for malnutrition in the community: the MUST tool’’ that, It is now well recognized that good nutrition plays an essential role in the maintenance of good health and the prevention of disease. The effects of malnutrition are well documented and include both physical and psychosocial consequences for the individual. In the community, elderly people identified as at risk of malnutrition are more likely to be admitted to hospital and to visit their GP more frequently. Those with a BMI . Available at:http://www.bapen.org.uk/screening-for-malnutrition/must/introducing-must. (Accessed 15 December