Nursing Facility Changes Needed for Better Services

A nursing institution must implement the necessary policies and changes in order to give clients better services, within a short time and by getting high quality medical care. To achieve this, top-level nursing facility management must come up with ideal structures and policies to change the way things are run in a nursing facility.

In a typical nursing facility providing essential medication care to the elderly, one problem to get address as a necessary change is the meal department. This essay paper focuses mainly on the dietary issue at the facility, which must be improved to suit elderly patients.

Having good nutrition in the nursing facility is a challenge when it comes to elderly because they suffer from many illnesses like diabetes that need good diets. In addition, there is a decrease in appetite since there is loss of taste. For the terminally ill patients, the chances of proper feeding are limited, thus increasing malnutrition and dehydration. One major problem in the nursing facility is poor food quality, badly cooked and served, and with less nutrition value.

Good meals and nutrition in an elderly nursing facility help to improve patients’ health condition. Every patient has different needs for nutrition in order to stay healthy. Some require food which is easy to digest, while others need energy food. If meals are not up to standard, they will not meet the dietary allowances. In addition, the elderly will not get enough meals needed per day. Apart from the nutritional advantages, there is a risk of legal challenges from family members who can sue the facility for neglect and bad quality foods. This can result in long running court battles that could be solved by a simple plan that works well for both parties.

The current nutrition offered can still be made better and enjoyable to patients by taking simple measures. This involves comprehensive assessment and coming up with the necessary parameters for food and nutritional status. This involves addition of high protein foods in the diet, preparing meals is a clean environment, employing different variety of food as each individual needs, addition of extra snacks and served each day. In addition, the food to be served in a nursing facility must meet requirements like ground, cut, pureed or chopped, depending on each elderly person’s ability to eat in different preparation criteria.

The existing meal policy at the nursing facility can be improved by availing more funds and employing a nutritionist who is qualified in matters of the diet for elderly. Though at first a lot of money is needed for employing new staff, purchasing new nutritious food daily and kitchen facilities. Therefore, the charges will be recouped by buying in bulk and cost sharing with patients and hospital.

Any new change might not be easy at the elderly nursing facility. However, to overcome the implementation hurdles, a good change theory is needed. This involves studying the environment and determining what will work well. This policy must be implemented gradually.

To resist the change inside, an awareness campaign and training for both staff members is essential. Education on the need to change the nutrition at the facility is one way of achieving success. A simple staff meeting to announce the change will ensure no one is caught unawares. Before the meeting ends, it is ideal to find if there are real resistances to be encountered from staff. Finally, if there is any change resistance on the part of elderly patients and staff, finding ways of solving such problems before implementation is started will be essential.

 More search on https://qualityessay.com/.