Plant-based (vegan) mandate for NY hospitals

Nurses General Nursing

Updated:   Published

What do you think of the new bill passed in New York State requiring vegan options on the menu?

It does appear to be a political endorsement of this diet over others, such as paleo, which had benefited many as well. While I definitely favor choice for patients, this law is promoting a plant-based as superior.

Also, whenever government imposes another mandate, it creates an expensive bureaucracy and burdensome red tape.

New York's landmark bill guarantees healthful plant-based meals to hospital patients

Specializes in OB.
11 hours ago, Orion81RN said:

I didn't think you were. I just find it interesting. Maybe I just truly don't know anyone else on keto? In real life.

I am a CNM and had a patient on the keto diet who wanted to skip her screening for gestational diabetes at 28 weeks because, per her report, there was no way her body would be able to process all that sugar (it is a 50g glucose load). Her husband became irate with me for not knowing all the nitty gritty details about keto and refused to believe my assertions that a GDM screen was still necessary. IME people are just so...intense about it. I can't keep up with every new diet, but I wish anyone well who finds a diet that works for their lifestyle.

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Specializes in Adult and pediatric emergency and critical care.
14 minutes ago, LibraSunCNM said:

Ok, but in this case, how is that harming anyone? What's the downside to offering vegan meals in a hospital?

I have no problem with offering vegetarian options. For traditional and religious reasons there are several times of the year that I end up eating vegetarian as it is easier that trying to figure out dietary modifications.

I recognize that there are many reasons that people ascribe to a certain diet whether that be a vegetarian, pescatarian, ovo-lacto vegetarian, ketogenic, paleo, other low carb, halal, kosher, or otherwise. From the perspective of American healthcare I appreciate the many diets that people fallow for religious, tradition, ethical/moral, health, or other reasons.

I don't like that a group of politicians who are not experts in these fields mandate how we feed patients despite little or no experience in that area. While offering vegetarian options isn't likely to harm anyone, it's an invasion of the politicians to control something that they don't have expertise in. I can't believe otherwise but that if actual health care professionals had been involved that the legislation would look quite different.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
23 minutes ago, PeakRN said:

don't like that a group of politicians who are not experts in these fields mandate how we feed patients despite little or no experience in that area

How are they mandating how patients are fed? It’s not like they’re saying only vegan choices can be on the menu. There’s still choice, only now there’s an additional one. Good grief!

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

They are mandating the hospitals OFFER vegan options, in addition to the myriad other options they already offer. Good grief.

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Specializes in Adult and pediatric emergency and critical care.

And yet they aren't mandating a variety of other popular diets. There is clearly some secondary gain.

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
1 minute ago, PeakRN said:

And yet they aren't mandating a variety of other popular diets. There is clearly some secondary gain.

What other "popular diets" do they not already provide food for?

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

What other diets cannot be maintained with the choices already offered while also adding non-dairy/non-meat options?

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Specializes in OB.

This is the oddest hill to die on. I really truly don't get the big deal here.

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Specializes in Adult and pediatric emergency and critical care.
8 hours ago, klone said:

What other "popular diets" do they not already provide food for?

8 hours ago, Rose_Queen said:

What other diets cannot be maintained with the choices already offered while also adding non-dairy/non-meat options?

9 hours ago, PeakRN said:

...ketogenic, paleo, other low carb, halal, kosher, or otherwise.

Telling someone that their meal is halal since it is vegetarian is about the same as saying you have vegetarian options and only having mac and cheese and an apple.

Same for other popular diets. If we mandate equal options for vegetarians then why say having only other parts of other diets is equal?

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Specializes in PDN; Burn; Phone triage.
11 minutes ago, PeakRN said:

Telling someone that their meal is halal since it is vegetarian is about the same as saying you have vegetarian options and only having mac and cheese and an apple.

Same for other popular diets. If we mandate equal options for vegetarians then why say having only other parts of other diets is equal?

So do you think that someone who believes that killing another living creature to consume it should...just eat meat, then? I am not certain how an ethical decision for many people is comparable to a fad diet.

Muslims who stick to halal options can also eat fish and default lacto-ovo vegetarian options and now the extra added vegan option. It's literally just adding an option for people who often believe they have a moral obligation to not consume animal products who do not often have many, if any, food options. That's it!

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Specializes in Adult and pediatric emergency and critical care.
4 minutes ago, dirtyhippiegirl said:

So do you think that someone who believes that killing another living creature to consume it should...just eat meat, then? I am not certain how an ethical decision for many people is comparable to a fad diet.

Muslims who stick to halal options can also eat fish and default lacto-ovo vegetarian options and now the extra added vegan option. It's literally just adding an option for people who often believe they have a moral obligation to not consume animal products who do not often have many, if any, food options. That's it!

Did I every say that there shouldn't be vegetarian or vegan options?

I just think we should be realistic. It isn't necessarily providing any healthier options. We are still providing limited options for many patients.

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11 hours ago, PeakRN said:

I don't like that a group of politicians who are not experts in these fields mandate how we feed patients despite little or no experience in that area. While offering vegetarian options isn't likely to harm anyone, it's an invasion of the politicians to control something that they don't have expertise in. I can't believe otherwise but that if actual health care professionals had been involved that the legislation would look quite different.

Laws are made by lawmakers. If lawmakers could only make laws regarding issues on which they are experts, we would have very few laws about anything.

As far as actual healthcare professionals being involved-

From the original article cited:

In June 2017, the American Medical Association passed a Healthy Food Options in Hospitals resolution that calls on U.S. hospitals to improve the health of patients, staff, and visitors by providing plant-based meals. The American College of Cardiology made the same recommendation in Planting a Seed: Heart-Healthy Food Recommendations for Hospitals.

So, following the advice of experts, lawmakers passed a bill that would benefit patients, and increase options.

Remind me- how is this a problem? Are there any medical professionals anywhere (other than here) objecting? Are hospitals claiming this is a financial burden?

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