Routine Hospital Diets and Special Feeding Methods

ROUTINE HOSPITAL DIETS

Clear Fluid Diet

This diet is made up of clear fluids that leave no residue, and it is non gas forming, non irritating and non stimulating to peristaltic action. This diet can meet the requirement of fluids and some minerals and can be given in 1 to 2 hour intervals. The foods which can be included are barley water, dhal water, tea and coffee without milk, etc.

Full Fluid Diet

This diet bridges the gap between the clear fluid and soft diet In this diet, foods which are liquid or which readily become liquid on reaching the stomach are given. It is used following operations, in acute gastritis, acute infections and in diarrhoea. This diet is given at 2 - 4 hours interval. The foods included are kanji, milk shakes, lassi, custards, etc.

Soft Diet

It may be used in acute infections, following surgery, and for patients who are unable to chew. The soft diet is made up of simple, easily digested food and contains no harsh fibre and no rich highly seasoned food. In this diet, three meals with intermediate feedings should be given,

SPECIAL FEEDING METHODS

Tube Feeding

This is done by passing a tube into the stomach or duodenum through the nose which is called nasogastric feeding or directly by surgical operation known as gastrostomy and jejunostomy feeding. The type of foods supplied through the tube may be

natural liquid foods

solid foods blenderised to make liquid food

commercially supplied polymeric mixtures or elemental diet like Complan, Horlicks, etc.,

The advantages of tube feeding are

Adequate nutrition could easily be given by this method.

Foods and drugs which may not be liked by the patients can be administered.

Parenteral Feeding

Here the nutrient preparations are given directly into a vein. This method may be used to supplement normal feeding by mouth but can provide all the nutrients necessary to meet a patient's requirements. Then it is known as total parenteral nutrition or TPN. The nutrients given in TPN are glucose, emulsified fat, crystalline aminoacids, Vitamins including B₁₂, folic acid and vitamin K, electrolytes like sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium, trace elements like Zinc, Copper, Iodine and Water.