Silly question about what is considered a liquid

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Okay, I had a CHFer on a pretty severe fluid restriction (severe for our floor, we are a medical floor in a smaller hospital).

Anyhow, this gentleman was hungry, it was the middle of the night, and we don't have a lot in the low sodium, fluid free snack department. The aide gave him pudding. I told her she needed to document it as a liquid. The other nurses disagreed with me, saying pudding is not considered a liquid. I have always reported it as a liquid.

If ice cream and jello are considered liquids, why is pudding not considered a liquid? Or is it?

Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

Pudding is a full liquid. It's primary element is milk.

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Here's the solution to that question:

Liquid diet is divided into two category:

1. CLEAR LIQUID DIET - allows liquid that are clear and transparent. such as meat or vegetable broth, bouillion or clear fruit juices, clear carbonated drinks, and believe it or not, even POPSICLES and hard candies, teas or coffee but d/t special considerations on medical tests, some may prefer it to be CLEAR.

2. FULL LIQUID DIET - allows liquid that can be transparent or opaque but essentially smooth in consistency. Px on this diet can consume juices, milk, ice cream, PUDDING, strained cream soup, fruit nectar with pulp, soft cooked cereals like oatmeals or even wheat.

So there it is, i hope that clear things out...

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Specializes in ER.

Look at the patient needs. If he's hungry and can't sleep, and that's what you've got, then feed him. If you have an alternative that wouldn't be counted as a fluid- give him that.

I do vote that it should be counted as a liquid, but there are circumstances where I would tell him to go ahead and eat even if he was over his fluid allowance. Unfortunately, I would also plan on TPTB second guessing me in both cases, and it's too bad if we base our decisions on what our managers will say as opposed to what's best for a particular individual.

OK now we're off on a tangent- I'll go sit down.

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.
Okay, I had a CHFer on a pretty severe fluid restriction (severe for our floor, we are a medical floor in a smaller hospital).

Anyhow, this gentleman was hungry, it was the middle of the night, and we don't have a lot in the low sodium, fluid free snack department. The aide gave him pudding. I told her she needed to document it as a liquid. The other nurses disagreed with me, saying pudding is not considered a liquid. I have always reported it as a liquid.

If ice cream and jello are considered liquids, why is pudding not considered a liquid? Or is it?

The key word here is "fluid" restriction. Pudding is not a fluid. With CHFers, with fluid restrictions, we're typically talking water, juice, coffee, milk, etc.

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It probably really just depends on your hospital's policy. Check with the RD in your hospital.

As for saying "If it's liquid at room temp, it's liquid", the pudding that we stock in the places I've worked is the kind that doesn't have to be refrigerated and is thick at room temp.

I agree with this (to check hospital policy), this is what we were taught in school.

Eggs whites are a liquid until they are cooked, but after they are cooked I don't think anyone would consider them a liquid.

Ice, jello, ice cream, all go back to liquid at room temp. Puddings experience a chemical, not a physical change, and will not return back to a liquid state...just like the cooked egg whites.

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hmm... this appears to not be such a simple question!:lol2:

I still say that if it is listed on the full liquid diet menu, then it is a full LIQUID.

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hmm... this appears to not be such a simple question!:lol2:

I still say that if it is listed on the full liquid diet menu, then it is a full LIQUID.

I agree that it is a liquid (full). Never been in a hospital where it was not considered a liquid. However, if the man is hungry in the middle of the night you have to feed him something unless he is NPO. We are talking what, maybe 120cc. If need be that can be subtracted from his allowed amount for the next shift.

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Thanks for the input.

I would like to note that my question is not whether I should have given my pt something to eat or not. The question is whether pudding is considered a liquid or a solid, particularly when a dietary restriction (such as a strict fluid restriction, full liquid diet, etc) is in place. And apparently the answer is there is no true consensus.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Thanks for the input.

I would like to note that my question is not whether I should have given my pt something to eat or not. The question is whether pudding is considered a liquid or a solid, particularly when a dietary restriction (such as a strict fluid restriction, full liquid diet, etc) is in place. And apparently the answer is there is no true consensus.

I want to note that the information I provided was for you question pertaining to fluid restrictions, not diet restrictions. I would certainly treat pudding as a "full liquid" if they had diet restrictions, but fluid restrictions are another matter entirely.

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Specializes in Orthosurgery, Rehab, Homecare.

At my institution, per policy, pudding is not considered a fluid for fluid restriction purposes, for other dietary purposes (liquid diet) it is a "fluid".

~jen

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Great silly question!! Helped me!

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

Yeah, i think this is one of those cases where it is up to individual nursing judgement....that's why they give us those degrees!

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