Improving nutritional intake in post-operative hip fracture patients: A quality improvement project

Undernutrition and malnutrition are common problems amongst the elderly, putting this age group at risk for a number of health issues including fractures, infections, and skin breakdown. Their nutritional status may not improve if they are hospitalised, leading to longer recovery times and increased morbidity. This article describes a pilot project that was undertaken on an orthopaedic trauma unit in an acute care facility in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, in order to improve the nutritional intake of patients who had suffered a hip or other type of fracture.