[HSF] How can you have any pudding, if you don't eat yer meat!!!???!

[Michael Firstenberg]

Gabi,
I think we all tend to agree with you - however you are a rare bird  
in your profession - and would be a breath of fresh air in any unit!   
All to often, over the years, I have seen the attitude of "they didnt  
feel like eating/walking/deep breathing/coughing/peeing on their own/ 
etc - so I didnt force them"..... and people wonder why LOS and  
nursing home discharges are so high......


-michael
On Mar 17, 2007, at 8:06 PM, gabi ford wrote:

>> From: Mitch Lirtzman <drmitch at cox.net>
>> YES! But what to do? Patients are miserable.
>
>
> That's why you have nurses.  It's our job to coax and cajole.....to  
> educate and to motivate.
> The doctors are the mere mechanics and sewing machines.  ;)  The  
> nurses are the clowns, teachers, facilitators, whip snappers,  
> temptresses, sages, mother hens, sewer workers and much more. :)
>
> Seriously....you reach into your bag of tricks and find what it  
> takes to make a given patient eat enough to heal.  Could be milk  
> shakes or pizza or complete liquid supplements or fresh  
> fruit....bacon, coffee!!!
> We have no post-op limitations on diet.  Patients can have anything  
> they want, unless they are true diabetics.  Have the family bring  
> treats and titbits.  :)
>
> I can't remember a patient who absolutely refused to eat anything  
> at all.  Most of the ones who have no appetite or have lost their  
> taste for food will grumble and complain...but eat anyway if for no  
> other reason than to make me leave them alone.  And the condition  
> resolves in time.
>
> Gabi
>
>
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