Nutritional Principles in The Management of Hospitalized Patients with Liver Diseases in The Federal Medical Center, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State

Abstract

This study assessed nutritional principles in the management of hospitalized patients with liver diseases. Eight patients diagnosed of liver diseases in the period of one year were studied while on admission in the hospital using structured questionnaire to document socio-demographic, socioeconomic, health, and nutritional status. In this cohort study, participating patients were drawn from a convenience sample. Patients were selected according to Inclusion Criteria from adult conscious patients diagnosed with liver diseases, both male and female from the male and female Medical wards (were all selected) and an Exclusion Criteria of Patients in hepatic coma, renal failure, hypertension, and diabetes (were not selected). Data collection Tools were developed and utilized to collect the data for the study, this was developed by the researcher to include patient’s literacy level, occupation, marital status, income, age, sex, period of stay in the hospital, onset of disease, etiology, ascites, jaundice, severity of liver disease and BMI. The tools include: Tool I: Personal and Medical Data sheet and Tool II: Nutritional assessment sheet. The study was also conducted through, content validity by the Physicians, house officers, medical students, Corp Doctors from the medical field, nursing staff and student nurses from the nursing field.