Objective

After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

Justify the principles of serving food to patients;
Explain the importance of individual food components;
Serve food in different ways;
Demonstrate this procedure using a model or simulator in the
laboratory and later in clinical practice;
Assess the risks of potential complications.
 Influences adverse pathological conditions;
Therapeutic effect of food;
Replaces substances missing in the body;
Supports patient recovery.
Theoretical notes
The basic diet components are water,
carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and
minerals.
 Poor nutrition (malnutrition) brings a
number of negative aspects for both
treatment and further patient prognosis. It
is reported that the frequency of
complications of the disease in these
patients is 27 % higher; the mortality of
these patients is 12.4 % higher,
hospitalization time is 7 13 days longer
and the cost of treatment is 210% higher.
 Clinical nutrition is used if food intake is not
possible or clinically insufficient. Clinical
nutrition is exactly specified in its
composition and it is intended for enteral or
parenteral administration.
Nutrition supplements the patients treatment process.
If indicated, the administration of food is as
important as the administration of drugs!
Each patient must receive their prescribed diet.
Food must be warm enough and of adequate quality.
Food should be served regularly, at a reasonable
time, so as to maintain a reasonable interval between
meals (breakfast 7.30 - 8.00 a.m., a morning snack
at about 10.00, lunch at about 12.00, afternoon
snack at 15.00, dinner 17.30 - 18.00).
The patient must be provided with a sufficient
amount of fluids.
The nurse must wear a protective white coat,
designated exclusively for serving food.
The nurse must conduct thorough hand hygiene prior
to serving meals!
Utensils for serving food are stored in the
kitchen in each department. When using the
tablet system, all the necessary utensils are
ready on a tray. An integral part of the tables
in the lounge are washable tablecloths, clean
table settings, unobtrusive and reasonably
tasteful decoration on each dinner table, the
overall room decor includes pastel coloured
walls. Part of a quality meal is also a regular
check of the technical condition of the tables,
chairs and dining tables.
 Utensils for serving food are stored in the
kitchen in each department. When using the
tablet system, all the necessary utensils are
ready on a tray. An integral part of the tables
in the lounge are washable tablecloths, clean
table settings, unobtrusive and reasonably
tasteful decoration on each dinner table, the
overall room decor includes pastel coloured
walls. Part of a quality meal is also a regular
check of the technical condition of the tables,
chairs and dining tables.
 Working procedure
The method of food administration is
according to the current medical condition of
the patient. The usual food administration is
in the following order:
Mobile patients eat their meals in the
communal room with clean and tastefully set
tables.
Mobile patients requiring the nurses
assistance the patient is seated at the table
in their room.
 Immobile, self-sufficient patients the patient
sits on their bed and their meal is served on the
portable dining table.
Immobile, insufficient patients the nurse serves
these patients last to give herself enough time to
administer the food in a calm environment.
Hand hygiene.
Minimize any subjective feelings of lost
appetite by adjusting the setting, limiting the
odour in the room, positive approach, serving
food to the patient in a cultural manner.
Prepare all necessary aids within reach.
Task
Practice serving meals to bedridden,
insufficient patients at a clinical practice.
Identify nursing diagnoses related to eating
disorders in patients.
Practice inserting dentures into a patients
mouth.
Objective
After studying this chapter, you should be able to:
Describe the basic nutrition scheme for infants;
Justify the benefits of breastfeeding;
Handle a baby bottle and teat;
List the nutritional products for children;
Demonstrate feeding infants and toddlers using
a model or simulator under laboratory conditions
and later in clinical practice;
Assess the risks of potential complications.
 The childs age can be divided into periods:
Infant period lasts from birth through to the
first year of life. The first 28 days are referred to
as the neonatal period, the first 7 days as the
early neonatal period;
Toddler period the period of the second and
third year of life;
Preschool period includes fourth to sixth year
of age;
School age period - begins with the seventh year
and ends with the end of compulsory schooling;