Calories....how many in a regular diet?

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Specializes in CNA, RN Student.

Approximately how many calories are served on a "regular" diet in the hospital. Does it differ from male to female and with age? I have a patient who is a 63 year old female, 5,2" , 158 lbs on a "regular" hospital diet. I know there are the parameters for people in general, my question is what is the hospital average...if anybody knows. Thanks guys!

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I believe it is 1,800-2,000 a day.;)

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Specializes in CNA, RN Student.

Thanks, I was pretty sure it was 1900 but for some reason I couldn't find it in my patients charts so I wasn't sure how to analyze it my patients caloric intake! Thanks so much.

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Specializes in CNA, RN Student.

Most patients should not be laying in the bed all day. Unfortunately, I know that sometimes you will see this, especially in LTC environment, but in a hospital you have to assume that the client will return to his or her maximum level of functioning possible, therefore they shouldn't lay in bed all day or they will come across problems like atrophy (or muscle wasting) contractures, skin breakdown...to name a few...which would make it really hard for someone to be able to be active in any way, even just to perform something like activities of daily living on their own. A lot of patients also go to therapy sessions (like physical, occupational) that involves activity, which requires calories for energy. Hope this helps?

It's one of my biggest pet peeves to see patients lay in bed all day. Unless absolutely mandatory, nurses should not let people waste away by letting them lay in bed all day.

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Specializes in CNA, RN Student.

LOL! Seriously, me too! But I guess that's where the dieticians at the facilities play key role. I'm sure they have some sort of formula they go by. Sadly, at this point, due to my sedentary life...a lot of these patients are more active than I am...

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
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I always thought it would be less than 1200 because you're not doing anything all day but laying in a bed. Can someone explain this to a non-nurse???

I have never seen any type of regular hospital diet that offered less than 1,800 calories per day. 1,200 calories per day for a sick person is dangerous, does not facilitate speedy recovery, might lead to skin breakdown issues, and may cause the body to cannibalize its own muscle mass for adequate energy.

Even our comatose, bedbound patients receive enteral feedings (via PEG tube) that equate to 1,800 calories per day to avoid skin breakdown.

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Remember these people are eating to heal.You need calories and protein to do that, and a moderately active non-patient diet for a person between 30 and 50 years is 2000 cal a day, it just needs to be good calories! Besides the dietitians in the kitchen, don't always know what the pt looks like, they go by standards, and the pt eats as much or as little of their tray as they care to.

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I believe every nursing unit should have a copy of the hospital diet manual. It should have all the hospital approved diets and the info about those diets listed. There also must be a nutritional analysis done for all the meals being served. It's a JACHO thing. If you can't find it just ask the dietitian.

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YOu can always call dietary or ask to speak with the dietician.

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