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Ward Nurses
Are the crucial “final common pathway” of nearly all patient-centred, ward-based care. For Nutrition they should adhere to standards set by Hospital Nutrition Steering Committee which may be adapted locally by Specialist Unit governance. They work in close co-operation with the patient’s principal medical team and the nutrition support team. Together with them they:
- Maintain an ongoing policy towards the nutritional support of patients which has continuity in the context of staff turnover.
- Employ routine nutritional screening including assessment of nutritional risk and the ability of the patient to eat.
- Maximise use of available facilities and options to achieve enjoyable, psychosocially beneficial, nutritionally effective meals and food intake.
- Take responsibility for individual patient’s food intake and co-ordinate a protected mealtimes policy at ward level.
- Help with food choices
- Help with feeding as appropriate
- Monitor/keep records of food intake when necessary
- Are alert to unsafe feeding
- Provide food, and in conjunction with dietitians, supply artificial nutritional supplements
- Provide expert safe delivery and monitoring of artificial nutritional support.
- Deliver enteral and parenteral nutrition skillfully, closely following hospital protocols and guidance
- Monitor enteral and parenteral nutrition – fluid balance, blood/urine glucose, diabetic charts, microbiology
- Prevent (cross) infection.
- Liaise with patient and patient’s relatives
- Employ timely discharge planning and liaise with the community.