Anybody got cheese? (I'm ready to whine)

[nebrgirl]

Ok, first let me be up front and say I've been recuperating and so have spent just way to much time

surfing the web, both here and everywhere. (thank the gods for laptops and recliners)

Anyway I just want to whine now about what I consider to have been a hospital flaw. I went to a larger teaching hospital for the surgery, and in my post surgical days if I wished to eat I was to call the kitchen and they would bring whatever up, anytime day or night.

The problem was (amazing as this is) that in my post surgical haze I really had no desire to eat. And I knew by the time I found the menu, made a choice and called and the food arrived I'd be back to sleep. So in 4 days I nibbled at two meals and drank 3 diet cokes. I know it would have been better if I had family with me to be watching me more closely for this...but they came down with the flu the day before my surgury so I told them "DO NOT come see me"

Anyway I think that (even if it's a waste of food) I would have been better off and might have nibbled a bit there had been some routine meals.

And don't get me started on the fact that I'm still waiting for a call back I made to the Dr's office last Wed....

Sorry for whining...guess it's time for another nap!

[dscrn]

feel better. I had wondered how those "whenever" menus work for sick pts. I can see them working in OB, or Peds...maybe you should write a letter...

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

You are completely right! If someone had come in and offered you something small like Jello or toast every couple of hours you would have been much better off. I wonder if nursing staff got any kind of report from the kitchen on how much/little their patients were eating. Also, who keeps track of trays left at room temp all day as you pick at the food?

[caliotter3]

Many years ago while in the hospital I was promised a meal and I'm still waiting for it! It better be good!

[dcarriv]

be sure to fill out the survey that they will send you.

[Hushdawg]

be sure to fill out the survey that they will send you.

They send out surveys now?

I never got one for any of my hospital stays, the last one was in 2003.

[kathy313]

I was in the hospital for four days, the first three were npo....when I was allowed to eat, my first meal was turkey and stuffing. Freaking nasty! Made me nauseous all over again, even the smell. I requested jell-o and ginger ale. You were probably better off...lol!

[esrun00]

I used to work at a hospital that used this meal plan. But is a patient did not call for a meal by 9am, 1pm or 6pm, the kitchen called the patient or nurse. I really liked how it worked, patients were happier with food, cause they chose what, how much and when. where I work now does not currently do it, but I believe plans are in the works.

I agree with previous poster, you should write a letter or write it on your survey.

[bunsterj]

The hospital my son was in would call at a certain time and ask him what he wanted for the meal. When he was on clear liquids, they just sent up a clear liquid tray automatically. At this hospital, the food services employee also picked up the trays with no notation of amt. eaten or liquids consumed. Food services would come by at intervals with a cart that they wheeled around, it was not left on the floor, so no one could peek at the trays on it. So if a nurse, aide, or family member didn't note what was consumed there was no record.

I had a clinical at a hospital that used this sort of plan, but the nurses could override the ala carte feature and request that the patient be sent up "general trays" for whatever diet they were on.

[Up2nogood RN, RN]

We've been ordering our meals this way and even though I work at night I ask the pt what they've been eating. Most of our nurses are good about keeping track of meals for our pts and make sure they're getting a tray and that it's halfway nutritious.