Low inter-rater reliability between nurses and researchers for the NRS-2002 screening tool for malnutrition in a hematological hospital ward. (October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Paulsen, Mari Mohn; Paur, Ingvild; Henriksen, Christine; Andersen, Lene Frost
• Is Part Of: Clinical nutrition ESPEN. Volume 51(2022)
• Page Start: 490
• Page End: 492
• Publication Date: 2022-10
• Subjects: Nutrition screening -- NRS-2002 -- Inter-rater reliability -- Malnutrition; Nutritionally induced diseases -- Periodicals; Metabolism -- Disorders -- Periodicals; 616.39005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2022.06.107
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2405-4577

Abstract

Summary: Background & aims: NRS-2002 is one of the recommended tools to screen hospitalized patients for malnutrition. NRS-2002 is considered as valid and reliable, but little is known about the inter-rater reliability between different groups of healthcare professionals. The aim of this study was to test the inter-rater reliability of the NRS-2002 tool between department nurses and researchers. Methods: Inter-rater reliability was measured between the NRS-2002 scores given by department nurses and researchers, using data from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) at a hematological department in a Norwegian hospital. Results: The mean NRS-2002 score was significantly higher when using researchers' scores compared to the department nurses' scores. The total agreement between the two groups of raters was 59%, kappa = 0.27. Conclusion: The inter-rater reliability of the NRS-2002 scores given by nurses and researchers was low. More research is needed to study if this is applicable also to other patient groups and in other wards.