Good nutrition helps patients recover and stay healthy. Therefore, Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) assist in planning and giving diets that achieve that goal. They watch what patients eat, change diets when needed, and make sure every meal helps the patient’s health.
This guide covers many topics, like basic nutrition, changing meals for different health needs, planning meals, the importance of drinking enough water, and how diet affects long-term diseases. As such, it gives simple and helpful advice that’ll come in handy as you attend to patients.
How to Create Balanced Meal Plans for Patient-specific Nutritional Needs
Incorporate Essential Nutrients
Think about all the food groups – fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy. Each meal should have a good mix of these groups. For example, older patients might need fewer calories but more of certain nutrients.
To boost a patient’s immune system through nutrition, offer fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C and fiber, like blueberries, strawberries, and apples. Further, include a variety of colors and types on the plate to make meals interesting and healthy.
Understand and Prepare Special Diets
Prepare special diets for patients by learning about different diet plans for various health conditions. You must have done this already during your CNA classes. For instance, your program must have taught you that some patients might need low-sugar diets while others require low-salt meals.
Your job is to know these special diets and help prepare meals that follow these guidelines. It could mean changing meal sizes, textures, or ingredients based on a patient’s needs or preferences. Thus, listening to patients and working with healthcare teams helps you make the best choices for their diets.
Adjust Diets Based on Health Changes
Patients’ health can change, and their diets may need to change too. For example, if a patient’s blood sugar level changes, their diet might need more or less sugar. If someone starts having heart problems, they might need less salt. Always talk to healthcare professionals before making these changes.
Assess a Patient's Nutritional Needs Regularly
You should keep track of patients’ eating habits, weight changes, and overall health. If a patient loses weight, seems tired, or has other new health issues, it might be their diet. Check-in with them about their food likes and dislikes, and watch for signs of malnutrition or dehydration. Sometimes, you might need to talk to a dietitian or doctor to adjust the diet plan.
Other Duties Attached to the Diet and Nutrition Role
CNAs work in different settings. As such, your role in ensuring proper nutrition may vary depending on your workplace setting. Therefore, your workplace may assign these other duties.
Assisting with Patient Feeding
Feeding patients is a big part of your job as a CNA. For example, older adults may make less digestive juices, leading to poor digestion and nutrient absorption. On top of that, changes in taste, smell, and dental health can affect their appetite and enjoyment of food. These changes can also impact their independence and self-esteem, which might reduce their food intake.
When you know about these aging-related changes, you can help older adults maintain a healthy diet and good nutrition. Use gentle encouragement and patience. Make sure they are sitting upright to avoid choking.
Cut food into small pieces and check the temperature before feeding. In addition, talk to them and make mealtime pleasant. Remember, some patients may eat slowly or have difficulty using utensils.
Preventing Meal Aspiration
Sit patients upright, even if they are bed-bound. Give them small bites and wait for them to swallow before the next bite. Additionally, watch for signs of choking or difficulty swallowing. If a patient coughs or clears their throat a lot while eating, they might be at risk of aspiration. Always follow safety guidelines and be ready to respond quickly if a patient starts choking.
Offering Adequate Hydration
Ensure patients drink enough water and other fluids to keep their bodies working well and prevent health problems. Some patients might not feel thirsty or have trouble doing so without assistance. Hence, encourage them. Also, be aware of any fluid restrictions due to some health conditions.
Conclusion
Your role extends beyond just serving meals. You are a motivator and educator for your patients. Encourage them to try new, healthy foods and explain the benefits of good nutrition. Always be patient and kind because your approach can influence their willingness to eat and enjoy meals. Remember to keep learning about nutrition because it’s always evolving with discoveries of additional health benefits.
Featured Image by Foodie Factor from Pixabay
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