Nurses must be alert to vulnerable patients who are at risk of malnutrition. Carolyn Best and Jill Summers present a range of practical courses of action they can take

Many reports have highlighted the challenges to nutritional care that older people can face when they are in hospital. Nurses can influence and implement effective nutritional care for hospitalised older people. People at risk of malnutrition should be identified through screening and people who require help to eat and drink should receive appropriate help. This article explores some of the practical issues that affect the nutritional care of older people in hospital and provides suggestions to improve care.