Transcript HOW TO FEED A PATIENT

HOW TO ASSIST
A GERIATRIC PATIENT
TO EAT
Presented by:
Phyllis Medley, RN, BSN
OBJECTIVES
After you take this class, you will be able to:
1. Ensure adequate nutritional intake by assisting
patients with their meals as necessary.
2. Understand why some people need to be fed
by another.
3. Feed and assist patients with meals in a safe,
dignified manner according to their identified
needs.
INTRODUCTION
As one grows older, food needs change.
• Older people need less calories, but they
need the same amount of vitamins,
minerals, and protein that they needed
when they were younger.
• If they are sick or have a compromising
condition, they may need even more
nutrients in order to get better or to heal.
• There are many reasons why the older
population is at risk for a poor diet:
poor dentition
lack of appetite
Depression
lack of resources
Blindness
swallowing problems
unable to drive to the store for food
• A good diet must include something from
each of the four food groups:
 Dairy—cheese, milk, ice cream
 Meat—chicken, steak, fish, beans, and
pork
 Fruits and Vegetables—apples, pears,
lettuce, tomatoes, orange juice,
potatoes, broccoli
 Grains—Bread and cereal
• Some older people can feed themselves
without any help, i.e., they can use a knife,
fork and spoon, and open a milk carton.
They can chew and swallow their food
safely.
• Other older people need only a small
amount of help. They may only need help
to cut up their meat or open their milk
carton, etc.
• Still other older people need cues from
someone. You may need to use a simple
prompt such as, “Eat a bite of the
potatoes, please.”
• Some need a lot of help in order to get a
good diet. Some may be too weak to eat
on their own. Some may not be able to
manipulate a fork because of arthritic
hands and if they do finally get food on a
fork, they may not be able to get it from
the plate to the mouth.
• Another group of patients can’t eat or drink
anything without being assisted. They are
totally dependent upon others for
hydration and nutrition.
PROCEDURE FOR FEEDING
PATIENTS
1. Prepare the patient
 Wash the patient’s hands
 Give the patient his/her dentures if not in
place
 Ask if they need to go to the bathroom
before eating and assist
2. Wash your hands before and after feeding
each patient.
3. Be sure dining room/area is clean, bright,
cheerful with no offensive odors.
4. Place patient in a comfortable, safe position at
the table.
5. Place wheelchair patients at the table after
moving the chair.
6. If the patient is in bed, be sure the head of
the bed is elevated at least 30 degrees to
prevent choking and so the patient can
swallow food and fluids.
7. Collect the tray making sure that the correct
diet was sent.
8. Check meal tray against the patient
identification band for correctness.
9. Check food temperatures. Hot foods should
not be hot enough to cause the patient to be
burned, and cold foods should be cold.
10. Feed the patients slowly.
11. Tell the patient what he/she is eating.
12. If there is a paralysis or weakness on one side
of the face, put the food and fluid in on the
opposite side.
13. Have food cut into bite sized pieces.
14. Alternate foods—meat, vegetable, other
vegetable, salad, bread, sip of beverage.
15. If patient can hold and eat his/her bread,
permit this.
16. Never force a patient to eat something
he/she does not want.
17. At the end of the meal, record the amount of
food/fluid the patient ate.
18. Wash the patient’s face and hands at the end
of the meal.
19. Upon return to the room, change the patient’s
shirt if anything was spilled during the meal.
20. If the patient was fed in the bed, be sure to
clean the crumbs/food off the bed.
21. Keep the patient up for 30 minutes after the
meal so he/she does not choke.
SUMMARY
• Nursing staff play a very important role in
the patient meeting the food and fluid
needs every day.
• Your good, cheerful attitude can help
increase the patient’s appetite and make a
positive impact on the
dining experience.