"force feeding" residents

[LightX]

I recently watched as a CNA who, because she truely cared for the resident, adamantly insisted a (confused)resident eat dinner. She held the spoon to her lips and told the resident she would not remove it until she took a bite. When told by other CNA's to "let it go" she said the resident hadn't eaten anything and was too confused to understand that she needed to eat! She continued for nearly an hour trying everything short of prying open her month and stuffing the food in.

This CNA (who is my hall partner) DOES mean well, she doesn't do it to be a "control freak"...she just gets frustrated and afraid for the resident when she doesn't eat. (which is daily).

I feel bad for the resident who just wants to be left alone. How can I tactfully handle this while advocating for the resident and without making an enemy of my teammate?

I don't want to report her, I want to support her!!

[krissy.tan]

has she tried allowing other NA's to attempt to feed the rt? if i cant get one of mine to eat, i try to get another NA to attempt it. does she speak to the rt in a calm, soothing voice? sometimes that helps too.

[PRNketamine]

I just wanted to say when I first saw the title of this topic. I was thinking resident as in MD. And my visual image was pretty funny. :)

[mintygirl]

I dunno.. I mean I'd have to see it with my own eyes, but often times I've had LVN's and Rn's push me aside to push the food in or "tricking them" by touching their lips w/ a straw, when it opened, put the food in.

You see otherwise the pt won't eat, which that in itself is a world of trouble. I dont condone the verbal abuse or mishandling, but you definitely have to "encourage" a pt to eat! Otherwise the end result if a feeding tube through the nose, stomach, etc and those risk surgeries can leave a pt with multiple infections and death.