Week 7 discussion

Nutrition and Hydration

Geriatric patients have many nutritional and hydration
concerns that impact their health and ability to acquire sufficient nutrients.
Advanced practice nurses evaluating these patients must be able to account for
all barriers that prevent elders from obtaining adequate nutrition, including
medical conditions, transportation, finances, physiologic changes, and
functional abilities. When evaluating patients, it is important to consider how
they eat, what their diet consists of, and whether they have any special
dietary needs that are not being met. Assessment tools, such as the Lawton
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) Scale, are an integral part of
this evaluation process as they help providers identify potential obstacles for
patients. In this Discussion, you assess a patient at your current practicum
site and consider strategies for improving any nutrition or hydration issues.

To prepare:

Review this week’s media presentation, as well as Chapters
28 and 29 of the Flaherty and Resnick text.

Assess a patient using tools for inpatient and long-term
patient care, such as the Lawton IADL Scale. Note: You should coordinate this
opportunity with the Preceptor at your practicum site.

Consider whether nutrition and/or hydration might be
impacted by the patient’s functional abilities. Reflect on whether the patient
is able to go out and get food to eat, cook meals, safely use the stove, etc.

Consider the patient’s diet and whether they have any
special dietary needs due to medical conditions, such as congestive heart
failure, end-stage kidney disease, diabetes, oral health issues, etc. Reflect
on whether or not the patient is attempting to compensate for a medical issue
and thus creating a deficiency or excess in his or her diet.

Based on your patient assessment, think about strategies for
improving any nutrition issues that might have presented (e.g., nutritional
supplements, community resources such as Meals on Wheels, referral to a
nutritionist or dietician, etc.).

Post on or before Day 3 a description of the patient
assessment you performed using a tool for inpatient and long-term patient care,
such as the Lawton IADL Scale. Explain whether nutrition and/or hydration might
be impacted by the patient’s functional abilities. Then, describe the patient’s
diet and whether he or she has any special dietary needs due to medical
conditions. Address whether or not the patient is attempting to compensate for
a medical issue and thus creating a deficiency or excess in his or her diet.
Finally, explain strategies for improving any nutrition issues that might
present during the patient assessment.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.

Respond on or before Day 6 to at least two of your
colleagues on two different days in one or more of the following ways:

Suggest additional strategies for improving nutrition issues
for your colleagues’ patients.

Offer and support an alternative perspective based on your
own experience and additional literature search.

Validate an idea with your own experience and additional
literature search.

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