Who can complete a nutrition screening?

December 14, 2025 •

4 min read

A nutrition screening is often required within 24 hours of a patient's admission. But who can complete a nutrition screening? The process is designed to be quick and can be performed by various trained healthcare professionals, not exclusively a registered dietitian, to identify those at risk for malnutrition.

Quick Summary

Different members of a healthcare team can conduct a nutrition screening. Initial screenings are performed by trained nurses, physicians, or dietary technicians. A registered dietitian nutritionist then conducts a comprehensive assessment.

Key Points

Initial Screening is Widespread: Trained healthcare staff, including nurses, dietary technicians, and medical assistants, can perform an initial nutrition screening.
Registered Dietitian Assessment: A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) is required to perform a comprehensive nutritional assessment and formulate a care plan for patients at high risk.
Screening vs. Assessment: Screening is a quick, initial process to identify risk, while a nutritional assessment is an in-depth, multi-faceted evaluation performed by a specialist.
Validated Tools: The screening process uses specific, validated tools like the MST, MUST, or MNA to ensure accuracy in identifying nutritional risk factors.
Team Collaboration: Effective nutritional care relies on collaboration between all members of the healthcare team, with screening acting as the gateway to specialized care.
Self-Screening Available: Individuals can use self-screening tools, such as the DETERMINE checklist, for personal awareness, but results should be shared with a healthcare provider for professional guidance.

A Team Approach to Identifying Nutritional Risk

Identifying individuals at risk for malnutrition or other nutritional issues is a critical step in providing effective healthcare and improving patient outcomes. The process of a nutrition screening is intentionally designed to be quick and straightforward, allowing a wide range of qualified professionals to perform it. This team-based approach ensures that potential nutritional problems are flagged early, leading to more timely and comprehensive nutritional care.

The Role of Nurses and Allied Health Staff

In many hospital and long-term care settings, nurses are the primary professionals responsible for initial nutrition screenings. Because they have frequent, direct contact with patients, nurses are in an ideal position to observe and collect information on a patient's nutritional status. The screening is often incorporated into the standard admission paperwork and might take less than 10 minutes to complete. Nurses and other allied health professionals, such as dietary technicians and medical assistants, are trained to use validated screening tools, such as the Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST) or the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST). These tools use a simple scoring system based on factors like weight loss, recent food intake, and the severity of the patient's disease. If the patient's score indicates a potential risk, it triggers a referral for a more detailed nutritional assessment.

Commonly used screening tools:

Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST): A simple, two-question tool used to screen for recent unintentional weight loss and appetite changes.
Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST): A five-step tool that assesses BMI, weight loss, and the effect of acute disease.
Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA): A widely used tool specifically validated for the elderly population.

The Expertise of a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)

While screening identifies who is at risk, the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) is the nutrition expert who conducts the comprehensive nutritional assessment and develops a care plan. This in-depth process goes beyond the initial screen to diagnose malnutrition and recommend specific interventions. The RDN will perform a nutrition-focused physical exam (NFPE), evaluate biochemical data, review food and fluid intake, and assess functional capacity. This level of expertise is crucial for managing complex nutritional problems, such as specific nutrient deficiencies, dietary needs related to chronic diseases like kidney disease or diabetes, or issues with appetite. A patient referred for an RDN consultation will receive an individualized care plan, which may involve medical nutrition therapy, nutrition education, or specialized feeding methods.

Self-Screening for Awareness

In non-clinical settings, individuals or their caregivers can also use validated screening tools for self-completion to raise awareness of potential nutritional issues. For example, the DETERMINE Your Nutritional Health checklist is a tool developed by the Nutrition Screening Initiative that helps older adults and their families identify potential risk factors for poor nutritional health. While these self-screening results should always be discussed with a healthcare provider, they empower individuals to be proactive about their health and seek professional guidance when necessary. This is an important part of community-based nutrition initiatives and can lead to early intervention before problems become severe.

Screening vs. Comprehensive Assessment


Feature	Nutrition Screening	Comprehensive Nutritional Assessment
Primary Goal	Quickly identify individuals at nutritional risk	Diagnose malnutrition and develop a treatment plan
Who Performs It	Trained medical staff, such as nurses, physicians, or dietary technicians	A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)
Process	Rapid, often under 10 minutes, using a checklist or simple questions	In-depth, ongoing process involving detailed data analysis
Data Points	Weight changes, reduced food intake, disease severity	Physical exam findings, biochemical markers, dietary history, and functional status
Outcome	Referral for further assessment or intervention	Individualized medical nutrition therapy and care plan
Setting	Typically at admission to a facility or initial outpatient visit	Inpatient or outpatient setting, following a referral

Conclusion: The Integrated Role of Healthcare Professionals

While a registered dietitian nutritionist is the expert who conducts a full nutritional assessment and develops a care plan, the initial nutrition screening is a collaborative effort. A variety of trained healthcare staff, most commonly nurses, can complete a nutrition screening using validated, simple tools. This multi-professional approach is crucial for efficiently and accurately identifying patients at nutritional risk, ensuring that those who need more detailed attention are referred to the appropriate specialist. This tiered process protects against overlooking nutritional deficiencies, improves the quality of patient care, and leads to better overall health outcomes. For individuals with concerns, self-screening tools are available, but professional medical advice should always be sought for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.

Visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to learn more about the roles of nutrition professionals and the Nutrition Care Process.

Frequently Asked Questions

A nutrition screening is a quick, initial process to identify if an individual is at risk for malnutrition or other nutrition-related problems. A nutrition assessment is a more detailed, in-depth evaluation performed by a registered dietitian to diagnose a nutritional problem and create a treatment plan.

Yes, nurses are often the primary professionals who complete an initial nutrition screening, especially upon a patient's admission to a hospital or care facility. They are trained to use validated screening tools to efficiently identify patients who may need further evaluation.

A patient should be referred to a registered dietitian for a comprehensive nutritional assessment if their initial nutrition screening indicates they are at moderate or high risk for malnutrition. This specialist referral ensures the patient receives a detailed diagnosis and personalized care plan.

Yes, tools like the DETERMINE Your Nutritional Health checklist are designed for self-screening, especially for older adults. While this can be a helpful first step, it is important to discuss any concerns or results with a healthcare provider for professional advice and diagnosis.

During a screening, healthcare staff typically collect basic information related to weight changes, recent food intake, and the patient's underlying health conditions. This data is used to calculate a risk score that determines the need for further assessment.

Yes, organizations like The Joint Commission require that a nutrition screening be completed for every inpatient within 24 hours of admission. This standard ensures that potential nutritional issues are addressed promptly as part of the overall care plan.

In an outpatient setting, a nutrition screening can be performed by various members of the medical staff, including nurses, physicians, and medical assistants, during an initial visit. The results help determine if a referral to an RDN is necessary.