Free Essay Sample on Nutrition in Nursing

Introduction

Proper nutrition plays a key role in preventing illness, recovering from illness, and maintaining good health (Jefferies et al., 2011). Moreover, healthy eating helps one feel and look better. Because nurses are always in regular contact with patients, they should have an understanding of the significance of nutritional basics and be capable of explaining the facts concerning healthy eating practices for their patients (Jefferies et al., 2011). Nutrition classes offer nurses with the necessary information to filter out facts from myths about healthy eating and pass that information on to their patients. Not only must nurses be able to explain the various aspects of healthy eating habits, but they must also lead by example.

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Role in Nutrition

Nurses play an important role in nutrition as they interact closely with patients and often offer nutrition screening, and simplification of dietary adjustment recommendations as well as the implementation of special dietary modifications with their families, patients, or critical caregiver (Xu et al., 2017). Nurses are endowed with the responsibility and expertise to ensure that the nutritional needs of patients and clients are met. Offering nutrition screening and proper nutritional advice is vital in promoting healthy nutrition and subsequent health outcomes.

When nurses take care of their health, they will most likely take good care of their patients. In most cases, nurses find themselves working on mixed programs such as dayshifts and nightshifts for some days. Based on the pressure of their jobs and choosing the wrong diet, nurses may fail to take good care of the nutritional needs of their patients. Jefferies et al. (2011) argued that patients who receive nutritional information from nurses are likely to know the “health habits” of such nurses. According to Xu et al. (2017), most patients are more confident in receiving education concerning exercise and diets from normal weight nurses; this means that the significance of nutrition is vital from both sides of the health care equation. Therefore, nurses need to take part in healthy lifestyle behaviors so as to lead by example.

Conclusion

Conclusively, nutrition is vital for human health. Due to the fact that nurses find themselves in regular contact with patients, they should have an understanding of the significance of nutritional basics and be capable of explaining the facts concerning healthy eating practices for their patients. However, it is worth noting that even nurses need to engage in healthy lifestyle behaviors so as to lead by example.

References

Jefferies, D., Johnson, M., & Ravens, J. (2011). Nurturing and nourishing: the nurses’ role in nutritional care. Journal Of Clinical Nursing, 20(3-4), 317-330.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2010.03502.x

Xu, X., Parker, D., Ferguson, C., & Hickman, L. (2017). Where is the nurse in nutritional care?. Contemporary Nurse, 53(3), 267-270.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10376178.2017.1370782.