It is crucial to enhance the standard of patients’ stays in healthcare facilities because diseases like cancer require extensive treatment and cause them to spend much of their lives in hospitals. The therapeutic diet plays a significant role as an essential element of complex therapy in treating diseases that are not directly related to nutrition (NHS England, 2016). Giving the individuals closest to problems that affect the quality of care the time, permission, knowledge, and tools they require to address those problems is the goal of quality improvement (Jones et al., 2021). One of the patients started to eat poorly, and the hospital staff noticed that she was refusing the food provided. The patient started to lose weight as a result, and there was a risk of malnutrition.
Since the patient was accustomed to eating other foods, she refused meals because they did not taste good. The food served in the hospital could have been more varied and focused on the local culture (Linsley et al., 2019). The patient was a foreigner accustomed to eating food from Africa, which was not offered in the hospital. Oncology patients’ families are keen to create a comfortable and pleasant living environment for their loved ones while receiving treatment (Swanwick & Vaux, 2020). It is crucial that food can both satisfy patients and aid in their recovery as they are dealing with so many challenges.
The aim is to change the approach of hospitals to the formation of the menu in order to meet the needs of all patients. Negotiations with hospital administrators can realistically lead to this outcome, and changes can be made in two months. Success can be measured by the fact that there will be no more cases of malnutrition and weight loss among patients in the hospital. It will be possible to choose food in hospitals rather than consume what is provided. Patients can order meals based on their dietary needs and cultural background up to a week in advance.
PLAN: among the hospital patients, groups of people who appeared to be undernourished and were refusing to eat were selected. These kinds of patient groups were observed and questioned for a month.
DO: interviews with the patients who refused to eat will be done to demonstrate the favorable outcome that these changes can obtain. The reasons given by these patients will include their dissatisfaction with the menu options and the absence of their traditional meals. The hospital administration will implement a new method for developing menus and meal plans for patients based on their preferences. Patients will make meal orders for the upcoming week for a month.
STUDY: patients’ eating habits will be observed daily, and once per week, they will be interviewed to assess how much they enjoy the suggested dishes. To track weight changes, patients will be weighed once every two weeks.
ACT: based on the analysis of the polling and weighing results, adjustments, and amendments will be made. There will also be weekly meetings with medical professionals.
RESULTS: the number of underweight and malnourished patients will decline and disappear as PDSA cycles are reintroduced.
References
Jones, B., Kwong, E., & Warburton, W. (2021). Quality improvement made simple: What everyone should know about healthcare quality improvement: Quick guide. Health Foundation.
Linsley, P., Kane, R., & Barker, J. (2019). Evidence-based practice for nurses and healthcare professionals. SAGE Publications.
NHS England. (2016). Leading change, adding value: A framework for nursing, Midwifery and Care Staff.
Swanwick, T., & Vaux, E. (2020). ABC of quality improvement in healthcare. Wiley Blackwell.