Protocolo de abordaje nutricional en pacientes con enfermedades infectocontagiosas

Abstract

This thesis project focuses on developing of a nutritional protocol to improve the care provided by the multidisciplinary team (doctors, nutritionists, and nurses) at the ‘Dr. José Daniel Rodríguez Maridueña’ Infectious Diseases Hospital in Guayaquil, specifically for patients with diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, and pneumonia. The lack of a specific protocol for the nutritional management of these patients is highlighted, which limits the effectiveness of treatment and may lead to additional complications. For its development, a comprehensive review of clinical guidelines, contemporary scientific studies, and specialized literature was conducted. Additionally, surveys and direct observation were carried out with hospital staff to assess their level of knowledge, perceptions, available resources, and obstacles encountered during nutritional interventions. As a result, a practical protocol was designed, including screenings based on the area of care–critical, non-critical, and outpatient–and covering all stages of the Nutritional Care Process (NCP): from assessment to monitoring and follow-up of patients. In this way, the guidelines and recommendations established in the protocol address the hospital's needs by combining scientific evidence with data obtained from the surveys, ensuring that they are not only theoretically sound but also functional. Key words: Nutritional protocol, multidisciplinary team, HIV, tuberculosis, pneumonia.