No longer hungry in hospital: improving the hospital mealtime experience for older people through action research.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to improve the mealtime experience of older people in a hospital setting through helping staff to make changes to their clinical practice and the ward environment.


BACKGROUND
Poor nutritional care has been a persistent and seemingly intractable problem for many years.


METHODS
We used an action research design for the study, drawing on techniques from practice development to support the action phase of the work, including action learning, role modelling good practice and reflection. The ward context was explored at the beginning and end of the study using focus groups, interviews, observation and benchmarking.


RESULTS
Ward staff made a number of changes to their nursing practice. The most significant was that all staff became engaged with, prioritized and were involved in the mealtime, ensuring that there was sufficient time and expertise available to assist patients with eating.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that it is possible to change nursing practice at mealtimes and that this change leads to improvements in patients' experience through ensuring they receive the help they need. Relevance to clinical practice. Although hospital mealtimes are frequently viewed as problematic, we have shown that nurses can be enabled to make changes to their practice that have a positive impact on both the mealtime experience and wider patient care.
Centre for Research in Primary & Community Care, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, UK. a.m.dickinson@herts.ac.uk
Angela
A
Dickinson
Carol
C
Welch
Laurie
L
Ager
D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D019985:Benchmarking / Q000458:organization & administration; D002755:Choice Behavior; D017144:Focus Groups; D005521:Food Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006272:Health Facility Environment / Q000458:organization & administration; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D020380:Needs Assessment; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012107:Research Design; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration*