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Hospital mealtimes: action research for change?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 March 2007

Angela Dickinson ,
Carol Welch ,
Laurie Ager  and
Aileen Costar
Angela Dickinson*
Affiliation:
Centre for Research in Primary and Community Care, University of Hertfordshire,Hatfield College Lane Campus, Hatfield, Herts. AL10 9AB, UK
Carol Welch
Affiliation:
Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust, Linden Unit, Radcliffe Infirmary, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6HE, UK
Laurie Ager
Affiliation:
Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust, Linden Unit, Radcliffe Infirmary, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6HE, UK
Aileen Costar
Affiliation:
Age Concern, Oxfordshire City and County, St Edmunds House, 39, West St Helens Street, Abingdon, OX14 5BW, UK
*
*Corresponding author: Dr Angela Dickinson, fax +44 1707 285995, [email protected]
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Abstract

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Poor nutritional care within the hospital setting continues despite decades of work chronicling and measuring the problems. To address the problem changes in practice have been attempted to improve the patients’ experience of mealtimes. In order to implement patient-centred mealtimes for older patients by changing the focus from institutional convenience to one that focuses on the requirements of the patients, an action research approach has been used that focuses on action and change, and thus appears to have much to offer those who seek to change practice. The present paper focuses on the first two phases in a three-phase approach. In phase one the nature of everyday mealtime care and the wider context are explored using focus groups, interviews and observations. The data fall into three main themes that all impact on patients’ experiences of mealtimes: institutional and organisational constraints; mealtime care and nursing priorities; eating environment. Following feedback of phase 1 findings to staff and identification of areas of concern a model of practice development was selected to guide the change process of the second phase. Changes to mealtime nursing practice and the ward environment have been made, indicating that action research has the potential to improve the mealtime care of patients.

Keywords

Hospital mealtimesOlder patientsAction research
Type
2002 Nutricia Clinical Care Research Grant Award
Information
Proceedings of the Nutrition Society , Volume 64 , Issue 3 , August 2005 , pp. 269 - 275
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2005

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