Serving a hospital diet to patients is a vital nursing responsibility that ensures patients receive the right nutrition tailored to their medical condition, recovery stage, and personal needs.
Definition
It involves, meeting the nutritional needs of a patient by serving normal/regular diet or a therapeutic diet.
A therapeutic diet is usually a modification of a regular diet.it is modified or tailored to fit the nutrition needs of a particular person.
Purposes
- To maintain adequate nutrition of the individual.
- To restore the individual to a satisfactory nutritional status, if his nutritional balance has been disturbed.
Types of hospital diet
| Types of diet | Feature | Indication | Example |
| Normal/ regular | Maintain or achieve the highest level of nutrition. No choice restrictions but can be altered to meet patients’ needs. | In patients who do not have special needs to illness or injury. | Pregnancy diet |
| Short-term Liquid diets | Foods are easier to swallow and digest than solid foods. These diets consist of liquids or foods that are liquid at room temperature. Meant for short-term only. If it is necessary to prolong the diet, calories must be added. | ||
| a.Clear liquid | Minimum residue; see through liquids: examples include water, both, clear juices such as apple and grape, ice pops and flavored gelatin. | First step in transitional diet after illness or surgery or abdominal procedure or in preparation for a test. | Black tea,water,etc., Prior to colonoscopy procedure. |
| b. Full liquid | Full-liquid diets allow all the liquids in a clear liquid diet plus thicker/creamy fluids which help provide more calories than clear liquids. | Second step to restarting oral feel after tolerating clear liquid diet; In patients who cannot tolerate mechanical soft diet. | Milk, pudding and vegetable juices. |
| c. Pureed | In this, the regular diet is pureed using a blender; nuts, seeds, raw vegetables and fruits are avoided. | Patients with chewing or swallowing difficulty; extremely poor dentition. | Baby food, such as pureed carrot,etc., 6-month-old babies. |
| Soft traditional diets | Foods are easy to digest while providing needed nutrition. Restricted to foods that can be mashed with a fork, such as cooked fruits and vegetables, bananas, soft-cooked eggs and tender meats. | Patients who are not ready for foods of normal consistency following surgery or treatments; poor dentition difficulty chewing. | |
| Restricted or special diets | |||
| Includes a variety of special diets that limit calories, fat, salt and other substances based on the patient’s medical needs. | |||
| a. No Concentrated sweets (NCS) | Advised for diabetics when their weight and blood sugar levels are under control; regular foods without the addition of sugar. | Diabetic patients, when their weight and blood sugar levels are under control. | |
| b. Diabetic or Calorie Controlled diet | These diets control calories, carbohydrates, protein, controlled diet and fat intake in balanced amounts to meet nutritional needs, control blood sugar levels, and control weight. | ||
| c. No added Salt (NAS) diet | It is regular diet with no salt. | ||
| d. Low sodium (LS) diet | Also called 2 g sodium diet; in this salt and salty food is restricted. | Edema, high blood pressure, heart disease, liver disease, or first stages of kidney disease. | |
| e. Low fat/low cholesterol diet | Used to reduce fat levels and/or treat medical conditions that interfere with fat metabolism. Limits fat to 50 g or no more than 30% calories derived from fat. It is low in total fat and saturated fats and conains approximately 250-300 mg cholesterol. | Disease of liver, gall bladder, pancreas | |
| f. High fiber diet | Diet with increased fiber content. | Gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. | |
| Therapeutic diet | It includes-high-calorie diet that promotes weight gain; diets that modify certain nutrients, including protein and carbohydrate levels; diets that increase fluid intake; and diets that accommodate food allergies or intolerance. | ||
Articles
- A tray containing prepared diet.
- Face towel.
- Water.
Procedure
| Nursing Actions | Rationale | |
| 1. | During procedure Wash hands. | Reduces risk of transmission of microorganisms. |
| 2. | Help the patient to wash hands and face, in preparation for eating. | This promotes patient’s comfort and helps patient to prepare mentally for a pleasant experience. |
| 3. | Place a napkin or protective cover over the patient, if needed. | Protects patient’s clothes from possible soiling. |
| 4. | Arrange food in a tray and place on the over-bed table or in a manner convenient for the patient to eat. | |
| 5. | Use this time as an opportunity to converse with the patient. | Improves interpersonal relationship. |
| 6. | When the patient decides she/he is finished with the meal, remove the tray. | |
| 7. | Encourage the patient to remain in sitting position for at least 15 minutes following the meal. | This decreases the risk of reflux and aspiration. |
| 8. | Help the patient to clean up following the meal. Assist patient to wash hands and face, and clean dentures, if needed. | Helps to promote patient’s comfort. |
| 9. | After procedure Wash hands. | Reduces the transmission of microorganisms. |
| 10. | Record the time, type, and amount of food taken and tolerance to food. |
Special considerations
- Note any food preferences, allergies or restrictions of diet.
- Note the diet the patient is on and indicate any special preparation or utensils the patient needs while eating.
- Note any eating difficulties or how well the patient tolerated the meal.
- Check for medications to be administered before, after, and along with the meal, e.g., insulin.
REFERENCES
- Annamma Jacob, Rekha, Jhadav Sonali Tarachand: Clinical Nursing Procedures: The Art of Nursing Practice, 5th Edition, March 2023, Jaypee Publishers, ISBN-13: 978-9356961845 ISBN-10: 9356961840
- Omayalachi CON, Manual of Nursing Procedures and Practice, Vol 1, 3 Edition 2023, Published by Wolters Kluwer’s, ISBN: 978-9393553294
- Sandra Nettina, Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice, 11th Edition, January 2019, Published by Wolters Kluwer’s, ISBN-13:978-9388313285
- Adrianne Dill Linton, Medical-Surgical Nursing, 8th Edition, 2023, Elsevier Publications, ISBN: 978-0323826716
- Donna Ignatavicius, Medical-Surgical Nursing: Concepts for Clinical Judgment and Collaborative Care, 11th Edition ,2024, Elsevier Publications, ISBN: 978-0323878265
- Lewis’s Medical-Surgical Nursing, 12th Edition,2024, Elsevier Publications, ISBN: 978-0323789615
- AACN Essentials of Critical Care Nursing, 5th Ed. Sarah. Delgado, 2023, Published by American Association of Critical-Care Nurses ISBN: 978-1264269884
- Ernstmeyer K, Christman E, editors. Nursing Fundamentals [Internet]. 2nd edition. Eau Claire (WI): Chippewa Valley Technical College; 2024. PART IV, NURSING PROCESS. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK610818/
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