Patients' experiences eating in a hospital - A qualitative study.
Adaption
Dignity
Meal service
Nutrition
Patient perspective
Power
Journal
Clinical nutrition ESPEN
ISSN: 2405-4577
Titre abrégé: Clin Nutr ESPEN
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101654592
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
10 2021
10 2021
Historique:
received:
11
06
2020
revised:
12
05
2021
accepted:
28
06
2021
entrez:
8
10
2021
pubmed:
9
10
2021
medline:
21
10
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Even though there is a lot of focus on nutrition in hospitals, patients often continue to lose weight during their stay. A meal is a complex activity. Several factors have an influence on the intake of nutrition. The purpose of the study is to identify the experiences of patients about eating situations, wishes and needs in connection with meals during their stay in the hospital. Twenty individual semi structured interviews were conducted at the North Denmark Regional Hospital and Aalborg University Hospital, Thisted. The inclusion criteria were age ≥18, cognitively and linguistically capable of participating and able to consume food ≥24 h. The participants were selected based on sex, age, and surgical and medical departments to ensure a broad representation. The patients experienced that the health professionals were friendly and caring and the food was really good. Despite general satisfaction, the patients reported many different experiences that are presented in the following themes: "The care relationship," "Meeting the system," "Influence from the surroundings," and "Social interaction with fellow patients and physical discomfort". The care relationship is considered to be essential. Some patients felt that they were met by helpful and accommodating health professionals while others felt rejected and corrected. The patients reacted to the health professionals being busy by adapting their expectations to the system and accepting the conditions. Hospital surroundings with catheter bags and IV drips influenced the patients and diminished their desire for food. The physical surroundings could make it difficult to sit comfortably when eating. Some patients wanted the company of other patients during their meal but would like to be able to choose with whom they shared their meals. Some patients tended to feel exposed and found it undignified and preferred to eat alone. The study indicates that it is important to ensure individual settings for the patients during meals and the focus should be on the relationship between patients and health professionals.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Even though there is a lot of focus on nutrition in hospitals, patients often continue to lose weight during their stay. A meal is a complex activity. Several factors have an influence on the intake of nutrition. The purpose of the study is to identify the experiences of patients about eating situations, wishes and needs in connection with meals during their stay in the hospital.
METHODS
Twenty individual semi structured interviews were conducted at the North Denmark Regional Hospital and Aalborg University Hospital, Thisted. The inclusion criteria were age ≥18, cognitively and linguistically capable of participating and able to consume food ≥24 h. The participants were selected based on sex, age, and surgical and medical departments to ensure a broad representation.
RESULTS
The patients experienced that the health professionals were friendly and caring and the food was really good. Despite general satisfaction, the patients reported many different experiences that are presented in the following themes: "The care relationship," "Meeting the system," "Influence from the surroundings," and "Social interaction with fellow patients and physical discomfort". The care relationship is considered to be essential. Some patients felt that they were met by helpful and accommodating health professionals while others felt rejected and corrected. The patients reacted to the health professionals being busy by adapting their expectations to the system and accepting the conditions. Hospital surroundings with catheter bags and IV drips influenced the patients and diminished their desire for food. The physical surroundings could make it difficult to sit comfortably when eating. Some patients wanted the company of other patients during their meal but would like to be able to choose with whom they shared their meals. Some patients tended to feel exposed and found it undignified and preferred to eat alone.
CONCLUSIONS
The study indicates that it is important to ensure individual settings for the patients during meals and the focus should be on the relationship between patients and health professionals.
Identifiants
pubmed: 34620357
pii: S2405-4577(21)00242-4
doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2021.06.031
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
469-475Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2021 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Declaration of competing interest We confirm that the manuscript has been read and approved by all named authors and that there are no other persons who satisfied the criteria for authorship but are not listed. We further confirm that the order of authors listed in the manuscript has been approved by all of us and none of the authors have any conflicts of interest.