Foodservice Fun

“Hi Meredith. I have a patient in 301 who’s unhappy with his diet. Can you go and talk to him?”

This statement, or a similar one is frequent in the hospital. Dietitians are frequently asked to see patients with complaints about the foods they’re being served in the hospital. At times, I think we all feel like glorified waitresses. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard complaints about our scrambled eggs, well, let’s just say I’d have enough to quit my job and live in Aruba.

Gaining Perspective

In my first few months of working, I easily became frustrated when these requests were made but I’ve had a change of heart. In many cases, the nurses and staff see that the patients complain about their food and want to fix the problem. They may not understand who to turn to in these situations but they know the dietitian on their floor and call us for assistance. In some cases, these consults are appropriate and sometimes they aren’t. However, we may need to accept them with a little grace in order to be successful at our job.

Appreciating the Consult

Many times, these consults are areas where a dietitian can help. For example, if a patient has a history of kidney disease, he may be put on an a restrictive renal diet which he doesn’t need. In those cases, I can talk to the doctor and recommend the appropriate diet. Another appropriate reason to consult the dietitian is when a patient doesn’t understand his diet. If a diabetic patient doesn’t understand why his carbohydrate intake is being restricted, I can explain the rationale behind the diet and work with the patient and family to find appropriate meal choices

Similarly, there are other frequent meal-related problems such as incorrect diet orders, special needs and requests, or other concerns that a dietitian is uniquely qualified to handle. It’s certainly worth taking 30 minutes of my day to address these problems.

Resenting the Consult

I spent about 15 minutes last week talking to a patient who was angry at the hostess delivering his meals. Apparently she had been rude to him, or at least he perceived her behavior that way. I’ve also had other consults where patients are simply unhappy with the foodservice department. I can’t do anything in these situations. I can talk to the food service supervisors and pass on concerns or complaints but I’m not taking meal orders or delivering trays. Like I mentioned, I didn’t make the scrambled eggs.

It’s also worth noting that dietitians have a busy schedule like everyone else in healthcare. We have full and busy days so having the dietitian consulted for every small food-related issue takes time away from more serious and complex patients.

Final Thoughts

Our primary goal for our patients is to promote adequate and appropriate nutrition. Sure, we’re not chefs and we don’t personally make the foods that are served. But if listening to a patient complain about their food ultimately improves that person’s intake or health, I don’t see how we can refuse. I still have my moments of frustrations and times when I feel that I’m treated like a waitress, but I’m trying to approach these situations with a positive and willing attitude.