Question

Question #5

a) Outline the nursing actions you would take as you prepare, position and feed the client.

b) Discuss how you would modify your approach with feeding for a client who is blind.

c) Discuss how you would modify your approach with feeding for a client who has dysphagia.

Answer 1

A. First make the patient upright before fe eding. To help the patient to eat, sit in the patient’s nearby, give prompting and direction.

*Avoid giving more food (spoon ful), can cause patient to hurry and worsen any swallowing difficulties.  

*Allow at least few seconds for each bite or sip.

*Patient can take a drink between food to ease the process of eating.

* Patient should be observed for pouching, particularly after a stroke. When the patient has a hemiplegia the head should be tilted slightly towards the stronger side to avoid pouching.

*The patient should remain upright for 15 minutes after eating.

*Ensure that suction apparatus at the bedside has been checked.

*Any instances of choking monitored.

B.

For Blind or Eye impaired patient, read aloud menu items

Tell the patient when their meal has arrived and where their tray is placed.

Colour contrast can be important for people who are vision impaired.

Describe the contents of the tray.

Ask the patient if they would like assistance with removing packaging from items.

Ask the patient if they need assistance with their meal, rather than offering to cut their food.

Provide any hot drinks in non-spill containers and tell the patient where they are placed.

C.

I'm the case of patient has dysphagia, a swallowing assessment should be carried out by a competent practitioner using an appropriate assessment tool. Referral to a speech and language therapist and dietitian should be considered. They may recommend that foods are thickened to help prevent aspiration.

*Baium swallow test can performed.

*The patient kept in upright position with his or her head tilted slightly forward to aid swallowing.