Dietary policy- vent

[trauma_lama]

Quick little vent. When I was sitting most recently, dietary came in to see what pt wanted for lunch. Pt is 350lb female. Dietary suggested several different possible meals, some of which were balanced (others of which I could buy at McDonald's). Pt wants something from several meal choices. Hamburger steak, grilled cheese, Mac and cheese, loaded baked potato, broccoli with cheese sauce (yay?) and apple cobbler with diet Pepsi and whole milk. Dietary didn't say a word, just entered it in computer. Really? Really?! No contempt for the pt because MAYBE pt doesn't know any better... But shouldn't there be something in place that pts can order one entree item, 2 veggie-ish sides and maybe a dessert and that's it? Come on. Ugh. Cheers, pt. Cheers to your next hospital-sanctioned obesity-related health crisis.

[canned_bread]

This really does get up my goat. I heard there is a hospital in America that has a mcdonalds in it?! I think it may have been a paediatric hospital too?!

At every hospital I have worked at every morning the kitchen staff give a menu to patients that are not NBM or on a special diet and it has breakfast lunch and dinner for next day. They are all healthy options, balanced, and portioned. If I ate what the kitchen provides I would be a hell of a lot thinner and healthier lol!

All hospital food is salt free, so salt must be added. This is fantastic because then the nurses have control.

I have never, ever, come across a hospital that can provide the food you have mentioned above, and no dietician I have come across would pay attention to that crap.

[tothepointeLVN, LVN]

Sounds like Children's Hospital Los Angeles. When I was doing private duty I would accompany my patient and mom there and mom would stop and get 5 sausage McMuffins. She used to ask me to buy them for her because she was embarrassed but I declined. I think a chunky nurse in scrubs buying 5 sausage McMuffins looks even worse.

Of course you can order Jerry's Famous Deli from your room at Cedars as Harvey from TMZ seems to be fixated on LOL.

[caliotter3]

Doesn't sound like the choices available to me when I was hospitalized. But I loved that serving of pot roast. Hit the spot and there was enough so that I didn't feel like I was still starving when the meal was over.

[minnymi]

Agree with you. I'm not going to ALLOW a pt to gorge him/herself with high sugar foods just to I can trek up and down the hall every 2-4 hrs checking your BS and then having to load you with extra insulin.

one time when i was working as a (new) tech on a med/surg floor there was a patient who asked me for peanut butter and graham crackers. she asked me to spread the PB onto the crackers for her which i found absurd, but i did it because the facility was all about "patient satisfaction." there was nothing wrong with her arms/hands.

so, after i took her the 'snack' i was venting to the nurses about how she demanded i fix them for her and "not spread it too thick" when her nurse spoke up and said, "oh, no, she can't have those!" i had no idea why, but later found out that this woman's blood sugar was considered "good" at 250. i had asked the patient, "are you allowed to have them?" and at that point i had only dealt with patients who were honest about their diets.

the nurse went straight to her room...and i followed behind her to make sure the patient didn't try to say she was offered a snack or she told me to ask or anything like that. anyway, the nurse walked right up, took the plate, and threw it in the garbage.

still, MOST patients are aware of their diet restrictions and BS, but i learned after dealing with that woman to ALWAYS ask the nurse before giving a snack. it opened my eyes to the lengths some people will go to get their food fix.

[Dixielee, BSN, RN]

I agree that it is our job as nurses to offer teaching regarding diet as well as a multitude of other health related issues. It is NOT, however, my job to "allow" or not allow a competent adult to exercise his free will to eat or drink what they wish. As already mentioned, most people in the hospital are there for a short while and we are not going to change any long term habits. Our job is to do for someone what they can't until they can. (my philosophy, anyway). Sometimes they will never be able to return to the lives they had before the life changing event occurred that landed them in the hospital in the first place.

I am a nurse, but I do not have the power to "make" people do the right thing. No, I am not going to run down to the liquor store to pick up a bottle of Rum for my patient, but I don't have a problem bringing them an ice cream if that is what it takes to give them a sense of control, normalcy, or what ever.

My father was a strong willed, stubborn man, and it ultimately killed him, but he had the kind of life HE wanted. He was diabetic, legally blind and hypertensive, but would never change his diet. He had a stroke, was in the hospital and the first thing he asked for when he was lucid and able to swallow was for a chili dog and onion rings from the Varsity in Atlanta (local greasy spoon, and if you ever get the chance to try it, you should). So what did I, his nurse daughter do? I marched my happy butt down to the Varsity and brought him a chili dog and onion rings! I have never seen anyone eat with such vigor.

We do what we can for people, but I consider that my job is to make someone as comfortable as possible during a very difficult time in their life, and if Dairy Queen or the Varsity is the answer, then so be it. Maybe my attitude comes from years of watching people suffer the indignities of the hospital, or maybe from losing some of those who were closest to me, but judge me if you will, but if you are in bad shape, you want ME to be your nurse!!

[Ivanna_Nurse, BSN, RN]

This really does get up my goat. I heard there is a hospital in America that has a mcdonalds in it?! I think it may have been a paediatric hospital too?!

At every hospital I have worked at every morning the kitchen staff give a menu to patients that are not NBM or on a special diet and it has breakfast lunch and dinner for next day. They are all healthy options, balanced, and portioned. If I ate what the kitchen provides I would be a hell of a lot thinner and healthier lol!

All hospital food is salt free, so salt must be added. This is fantastic because then the nurses have control.

I have never, ever, come across a hospital that can provide the food you have mentioned above, and no dietician I have come across would pay attention to that crap.

Canned, my hospital has a McDonald's. It's tied into a children's hospital as well. Surely mine can't be the ONLY one?!?

[rnlately]

one time when i was working as a (new) tech on a med/surg floor there was a patient who asked me for peanut butter and graham crackers. she asked me to spread the PB onto the crackers for her which i found absurd, but i did it because the facility was all about "patient satisfaction." there was nothing wrong with her arms/hands.

so, after i took her the 'snack' i was venting to the nurses about how she demanded i fix them for her and "not spread it too thick" when her nurse spoke up and said, "oh, no, she can't have those!" i had no idea why, but later found out that this woman's blood sugar was considered "good" at 250. i had asked the patient, "are you allowed to have them?" and at that point i had only dealt with patients who were honest about their diets.

the nurse went straight to her room...and i followed behind her to make sure the patient didn't try to say she was offered a snack or she told me to ask or anything like that. anyway, the nurse walked right up, took the plate, and threw it in the garbage.

still, MOST patients are aware of their diet restrictions and BS, but i learned after dealing with that woman to ALWAYS ask the nurse before giving a snack. it opened my eyes to the lengths some people will go to get their food fix.

LOL!!!! If I didn't know any better I would think I am the nurse you speak of. I understand that we should try to allow patients some autonomy but I'm not going to risk a severe hyperglycemic whose main reason for being in the hospital to continue to eat what he/she wants. Limits are set for a reason.

[christinje]

I can relate to this too

[trauma_lama, BSN]

Sounds like Children's Hospital Los Angeles. When I was doing private duty I would accompany my patient and mom there and mom would stop and get 5 sausage McMuffins. She used to ask me to buy them for her because she was embarrassed but I declined. I think a chunky nurse in scrubs buying 5 sausage McMuffins looks even worse.Of course you can order Jerry's Famous Deli from your room at Cedars as Harvey from TMZ seems to be fixated on LOL.

Hahahaha! Too funny.

[bjaeram]

Our hospital has only healthy food on the patient menu. They order off a menu via phone and the person on the other end knows what diet they are on and they can only order to fit that diet.

There is no fried food on the menu, only baked. They have pizza but it's whole wheat crust and healthy toppings. No bacon for breakfast, ect.

I think it's a great idea. If there are not unhealthy choices on the menu then they have no choice but to eat healthy. Of course family and friends still bring in the McDonalds and such but hey it's a start!

[Orange Tree]

Even if a patient orders the unhealthiest items on the menu, and lots of them, it's probably still less than they consume at home.

[canned_bread]

Sounds like Children's Hospital Los Angeles. When I was doing private duty I would accompany my patient and mom there and mom would stop and get 5 sausage McMuffins. She used to ask me to buy them for her because she was embarrassed but I declined. I think a chunky nurse in scrubs buying 5 sausage McMuffins looks even worse.

Of course you can order Jerry's Famous Deli from your room at Cedars as Harvey from TMZ seems to be fixated on LOL.

Aren't hospital supposed to promote HEALTH? Mc Donalds is the BEST EXAMPLE of unhealthy eating!