Patient focused menu planning

an ENB project in a hospice

Fairtlough, Helen BSc(Hons), RGN
Closs, S. Jose BSc(Hons), RGN, MPhil, PhD

Date of acceptance: February 16 1996.
Helen Fairtlough BSc(Hons), RGN, is Staff Nurse, St Luke's Hospice, Sheffield; S Jose Closs BSc(Hons), RGN, MPhil, PhD, is Senior Lecturer, School of Health, University of Hull.
This article has been subject to double-blind review.

Nursing Standard 10(34):p 44-47, May 15, 1996.

This paper discusses how a small study of the meals provided for patients in a hospice was undertaken as part of the ENB 931 Care of the Dying course, and used to change practice.The authors describe how the study provided not only useful information about the types and aspects of food both enjoyed and disliked in this setting, but also stimulated interest among nursing and kitchen staff, resulting in a programme of changes in menu planning. It is argued that while the project was undertaken as a piece of research, it actually had more in common with audit, and that audit might be a more useful activity to incorporate into ENB courses.