Introduction to Nutritional
Assessment and Care
Nursing plays an essential role in all the stages of the nutritional care plan.
The nurse is ultimately in charge of the modifications and evaluation of
the client's progress. They can help identify risk factors, health-illness
considerations, and cultural and/or religious needs, and they can counsel
on genetic influences as well. Nurses work with others as part of the
multidisciplinary healthcare team. The nurse's approach is a holistic
approach, thereby putting the emphasis on health and wellness versus
disease.
As you complete the concept, you will gain the knowledge and skills
needed to:
Discuss the nutrition care plan process
Describe types of nutritional assessments
Explain the difference between enteral and parenteral nutrition
Describe role of nutrition in complementary and alternative
medicine practices
,Complementary and Alternative
Medicine
Heather just found out that she is pregnant. The nurse is completing a nutritional assessment. The
nurse should follow-up with her if she states she is consuming:
The nurse should identify that saw palmetto is an herb used for
migraines. Some herbs may be consumed during pregnancy and some
should not. Saw palmetto is unsafe to take during pregnancy. Vitamin D,
folate, and iron are safe.
Your response is correct!
,Implementation of Nutrition
Interventions
Tom was admitted to the hospital for chemotherapy and has the following
care plan:
Diagnosis: Imbalanced Nutrition: Less than Body Requirements related to
gastrointestinal tract function alteration from cancer as evidenced by
reduced total protein and serum albumin levels.
Interventions:
Intermittent parenteral nutrition
Refer for nutrition counseling
Outcomes:
Patient will have a total protein level between 60 to 83 g/L by 1/7.
Patient will have a serum albumin level between 3.4 to 5.4 g/dL by
1/7.
How should the nurse implement this plan?
To implement a care plan, you need to complete the interventions. For
Tom, the health care provider should administer the prescribed rate of
TPN solution via pump. The other options focused on the assessment and
evaluation of outcomes.
Your response is correct!
Nutritional Assessment
The nurse is interviewing a client about their nutritional status. What
question by the nurse would obtain information about dietary
preferences?
, Having a client do a 24-hour recall of food consumed is an indicator of
dietary preferences. Other options are a food diary, diet history, and
questions regarding religious, ethnic, and cultural influences. Asking about
healthy weight is directed at client knowledge. Questions about
medications and medical conditions elicit information about medical
history and current medical status.
Your response is correct!
Nutrition and the Nursing Process
The nursing process is widely used in nutritional health as well. The
gathering and analysis of data is for the purpose of establishing nursing
diagnoses related to nutritional needs. An important step in the nursing
assessment is knowing when to consult the registered dietician (RD) in the
process. Some of the main areas in the community where a registered
nurse will be doing nutritional assessments are as follows.
School nurse
Home health nurse
Long-term care nurse
Postsurgical care nurse
Public health nurse
So let’s use a very quick example to see the nursing process in action as it
relates to nutrition. Think about how you will use the nursing process to
incorporate nutrition into your client’s overall plan of care.
Nutritional Assessment
Data sources for assessment information include anthropometric data,
food and nutrition history, physical examination, laboratory tests, and
client history (Charney, 2016). Screening may be triggered by a change in
medical condition, diet, intake, or nutritional support. Criteria can be
remembered using the ABCDs of a nutritional assessment.
Assessment and Care
Nursing plays an essential role in all the stages of the nutritional care plan.
The nurse is ultimately in charge of the modifications and evaluation of
the client's progress. They can help identify risk factors, health-illness
considerations, and cultural and/or religious needs, and they can counsel
on genetic influences as well. Nurses work with others as part of the
multidisciplinary healthcare team. The nurse's approach is a holistic
approach, thereby putting the emphasis on health and wellness versus
disease.
As you complete the concept, you will gain the knowledge and skills
needed to:
Discuss the nutrition care plan process
Describe types of nutritional assessments
Explain the difference between enteral and parenteral nutrition
Describe role of nutrition in complementary and alternative
medicine practices
,Complementary and Alternative
Medicine
Heather just found out that she is pregnant. The nurse is completing a nutritional assessment. The
nurse should follow-up with her if she states she is consuming:
The nurse should identify that saw palmetto is an herb used for
migraines. Some herbs may be consumed during pregnancy and some
should not. Saw palmetto is unsafe to take during pregnancy. Vitamin D,
folate, and iron are safe.
Your response is correct!
,Implementation of Nutrition
Interventions
Tom was admitted to the hospital for chemotherapy and has the following
care plan:
Diagnosis: Imbalanced Nutrition: Less than Body Requirements related to
gastrointestinal tract function alteration from cancer as evidenced by
reduced total protein and serum albumin levels.
Interventions:
Intermittent parenteral nutrition
Refer for nutrition counseling
Outcomes:
Patient will have a total protein level between 60 to 83 g/L by 1/7.
Patient will have a serum albumin level between 3.4 to 5.4 g/dL by
1/7.
How should the nurse implement this plan?
To implement a care plan, you need to complete the interventions. For
Tom, the health care provider should administer the prescribed rate of
TPN solution via pump. The other options focused on the assessment and
evaluation of outcomes.
Your response is correct!
Nutritional Assessment
The nurse is interviewing a client about their nutritional status. What
question by the nurse would obtain information about dietary
preferences?
, Having a client do a 24-hour recall of food consumed is an indicator of
dietary preferences. Other options are a food diary, diet history, and
questions regarding religious, ethnic, and cultural influences. Asking about
healthy weight is directed at client knowledge. Questions about
medications and medical conditions elicit information about medical
history and current medical status.
Your response is correct!
Nutrition and the Nursing Process
The nursing process is widely used in nutritional health as well. The
gathering and analysis of data is for the purpose of establishing nursing
diagnoses related to nutritional needs. An important step in the nursing
assessment is knowing when to consult the registered dietician (RD) in the
process. Some of the main areas in the community where a registered
nurse will be doing nutritional assessments are as follows.
School nurse
Home health nurse
Long-term care nurse
Postsurgical care nurse
Public health nurse
So let’s use a very quick example to see the nursing process in action as it
relates to nutrition. Think about how you will use the nursing process to
incorporate nutrition into your client’s overall plan of care.
Nutritional Assessment
Data sources for assessment information include anthropometric data,
food and nutrition history, physical examination, laboratory tests, and
client history (Charney, 2016). Screening may be triggered by a change in
medical condition, diet, intake, or nutritional support. Criteria can be
remembered using the ABCDs of a nutritional assessment.
