LAUSR

BACKGROUND nutritional therapy has an important role in the development of medical care services, and quantitative and qualitative assessments of the status of clinical nutrition in hospitals is crucial. This study aimed to explore the current status of clinical nutrition in hospitals of Guilan province, Iran. METHODS this quantitative-qualitative (mixed method) study was performed on public hospitals in Guilan province, Iran (N = 26). The required information was collected by visiting the hospitals and interviewing with hospital dietitians. The data collection tool had two quantitative and qualitative subscales. The quantitative subscale included a 21-item checklist containing information about the referral system, cooperation of hospital staff in clinical nutrition, clinical nutrition staff status, enteral nutrition, and parenteral nutrition. RESULTS in more than 40 % of hospitals the patients were not adequately referred to a dietitian. In 35 % of hospitals, cooperation of other departments in the field of clinical nutrition was insufficient. In 55 % of hospitals with intensive care unit (ICU), enteral nutrition was not provided properly. None of the hospital properly provided parenteral nutrition for their patients. The most important problems mentioned by hospital dietitians included noncompliance of the food sector employer with food programs, insufficient number of hospital dietitians, and nonpayment of consulting fees to dietitians. Coverage of diet services by health insurance was the most common suggestion of dietitians to promote diet therapy in hospitals. CONCLUSION the situation of providing nutritional services to patients in public hospitals is not favorable in terms of quantity and quality in Guilan province, Iran. Designing the necessary policies to reorient the clinical nutrition system in hospitals and ultimately promote health and accelerate patient recovery is warranted.