Hi I am a nurse who is currently working in a private hospital and also type 2 diabetic.As part of my role I am a diabetic link nurse for my ward.I find it very interesting to read the comments here,at present I am trying hard to set up a diabetic menu where I work.Our menu is more hotel style ,carb high and large portions so its very difficult to control what the patients eat and as they are paying they obviously want value for money.I Also find it odd that patients who are relatively well controlled at home manage to eat their way through the menu when in hospital!!!!
diabetic diets in hospital
- Thread starter gems_goldet
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I am a third year student nurse and I have been quite interested in this post. I was just wandering how easily identifiable are the diabetic options on a menu.
I was taking the blood glucose levels of a lady, prior to lunch, which were quite raised, very high. She enquired as to why they had been quite high since her stay in hospital. Meanwhile, her lunch arrived and I asked if I could have a look at her choice from the menu, which she agreed to. I had noted that she had not chosen from the diabetic options and questioned her. On the menu is a heart shaped symbol which represents a healthy option, but, it also indicates it as the diabetic option. The patient hadn't been told about this and was unaware.
Would it be more appropriate to have a separate menu for diabetic patients, as this may take the temptation of eating something high in sugar?
I would be interested in people's thoughts on this.
I was taking the blood glucose levels of a lady, prior to lunch, which were quite raised, very high. She enquired as to why they had been quite high since her stay in hospital. Meanwhile, her lunch arrived and I asked if I could have a look at her choice from the menu, which she agreed to. I had noted that she had not chosen from the diabetic options and questioned her. On the menu is a heart shaped symbol which represents a healthy option, but, it also indicates it as the diabetic option. The patient hadn't been told about this and was unaware.
Would it be more appropriate to have a separate menu for diabetic patients, as this may take the temptation of eating something high in sugar?
I would be interested in people's thoughts on this.
Liverpool Lou said:
I think the problem is still that there is no such thing as a single "diabetic option". Education and nutritional information on the menu would, I think, be more benificial
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I agree with John. Diabetics don't need a special menu, especially if controled with insulin. If the nutritional info (carbs mainly) were included then the diabetic patient will be able to use their insulin to carb ratios.
Yes but those of us not on insulin can't just eat whatever then cover it with insulin.
Like Thundercat said we can eat what is there and feel like **** with sky high blood sugar for the duration of the stay. What's worse is if you can't just exercise the sugar off. The menu at the hospitals I've been in (St George's, Roehamptom, Queen Mary's, Euston etc) the menus werent just normal carby they were super carby. Main was either lasagne, shepherd's pie, battered fish or macaroni (veg) with dessert options of apple crumble or rice pudding and orange juice to drink. Sounds tasty but that's half the problem... Makes me want to scoff it all then pay for it later..
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Like Thundercat said we can eat what is there and feel like **** with sky high blood sugar for the duration of the stay. What's worse is if you can't just exercise the sugar off. The menu at the hospitals I've been in (St George's, Roehamptom, Queen Mary's, Euston etc) the menus werent just normal carby they were super carby. Main was either lasagne, shepherd's pie, battered fish or macaroni (veg) with dessert options of apple crumble or rice pudding and orange juice to drink. Sounds tasty but that's half the problem... Makes me want to scoff it all then pay for it later..
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Harlow Hospital (admittedly 10 yrs ago) astonishing behaviour "we don't like our diabetic patients to self medicate. Tell us your doses you'll be needing over your stay here (FIXED, no carb info! :-o
They then confiscated my pen so I couldn't give myself correction doses. The only way I could give myself corrections was to accept the meal injection & then not eat the meal. Astonishingly backward - even for 1999!
Oh, and they refused to use my automated pricker & insisted on the steel manual lancets.
Hospitals are the last place you want to be if you're diabetic, I reckon!
They then confiscated my pen so I couldn't give myself correction doses. The only way I could give myself corrections was to accept the meal injection & then not eat the meal. Astonishingly backward - even for 1999!
Oh, and they refused to use my automated pricker & insisted on the steel manual lancets.
Hospitals are the last place you want to be if you're diabetic, I reckon!
I found it the opposite, New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton 2011. I was in for 7 weeks and the treatment, awareness and choice of food were good. The staff were knowledgeable and I had a diabete specialist round at least once a day. Ok, I had to keep my insulin in a locker with other meds, but so what?! It's the rules. Sometimes the food choices were a bit limited but they were enjoyable.
When I was in the Southampton General 2 yrs ago I found that the food was dreadful even for non diabetics. There was plenty to choose from on the menu but it was always over microwaved. I had a rice dish and it had been in the microwave for so long that the rice had gone bone hard and was completely in edible. Likewise the fish and chips was microwaved and ended up as a hard lump in a sea of grease. I ended up having a sandwich for lunch and a salad for dinner EVERY day !! The only dessert for diabetics was sugar free jelly. Don't start me on the breakfast menu !!!
Benjygirl, I was NBM for 21 days in a row. I cried once in depair at the other 7 in my ward stuffing their faces. It's a case of balance, do I want a nice bowl of bran flakes orange juice and a sandwich and sugar free yoghurt or toast and a nice steak and ale pie. I know my carb/insulin rates and so did the nurses. I thought they were great when smacked out on morphine, very intelligent and helpful as I wasn't always on the same planet as them. I applaud my hospital and sent a commendation along with chocolates and flowers to my surgeon, saana alagadal. She genuinely saved my life and gave me strict instructions. I could only have fluids at one point so I had a double bagged cup a soup. These guys are heroes and they have such a **** job. I commend them all. (Salutes). Great crowd!
Hi Martwolves, I too was NBM for 14 days and on a morphine drip when I had a nasty case of pancreatitis. The morphine sent me mad - shouting and behaving in a dreadful manner. The nurses and doctors in the hospital were absolutely brilliant. I was diagnosed Type 1 as my pancreas gave up completely. The only person I felt really sorry for was the poor DN. she wasthe only one in the whole of this huge hospital and was run ragged (this was 2 yrs ago so could have changed) The only thing I thought was dreadful was the food but as this is brought in by outside caterers the hospital really can't be blamed
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Awful experiences for me that's twice this month....staff not educated and scarred!!!!!! And food awful....the NHS has a lot to learn this is a personal experience....
I had a 2 mtr bowel resection, which has left me with an 18" scar due to a blood clot. I never had any pain at all, even to this day. The morphine was brilliant and my many tablets, insulin, medicines etc were delivered on the dot. Everyone was clued up re:diabetes and my procedure and very helpful and supportive. I was given a 30% survival chance and they called all my family to see me pre
p, as it may be the last chance they got to see me. I didn't fully understand at the time due to the morphine and tramadol, etc, but they were all ace to be honest. The nurses who served the food always had an alternative if I didn't or couldn't have a popular meal, when I was able to eat. I've seen many people moaning about the NHS, but their hands are tied and I think, from what I've seen with my op (new cross,wolves) and my wifes recent one (QE Birmingham) that with the right staff in place they can do a cracking job. Shrewsbury Hospital I despise. A year ago my aunt had a stroke. They refused to feed her, give her painkillers or water and she died a prolonged and tortured death, so they could free up her bed because she's 82 and not worth the cost of tablets.
p, as it may be the last chance they got to see me. I didn't fully understand at the time due to the morphine and tramadol, etc, but they were all ace to be honest. The nurses who served the food always had an alternative if I didn't or couldn't have a popular meal, when I was able to eat. I've seen many people moaning about the NHS, but their hands are tied and I think, from what I've seen with my op (new cross,wolves) and my wifes recent one (QE Birmingham) that with the right staff in place they can do a cracking job. Shrewsbury Hospital I despise. A year ago my aunt had a stroke. They refused to feed her, give her painkillers or water and she died a prolonged and tortured death, so they could free up her bed because she's 82 and not worth the cost of tablets.In an ideal world, diabetics would like to see the nutritional content of the menu, espcially the amount of carbohydrates and have nurses educated on the care of diabetics.
I am currently looking at how to improve nutrition for the diabetics on the ward and also how to improve the care that they are given whilst they are in hospital.
I have enjoyed reading this forum as it will aide my knowledge when I become qualified next year. If you do have any further comments I would appreciate it.
Many thanks.
LL
I am currently looking at how to improve nutrition for the diabetics on the ward and also how to improve the care that they are given whilst they are in hospital.
I have enjoyed reading this forum as it will aide my knowledge when I become qualified next year. If you do have any further comments I would appreciate it.
Many thanks.
LL
If you had the same advice as you see on the side of a ready-meal or a pack of sarnies, that'd be a GREAT step forward.
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Here in Spain, all hospitals still have their own kitchens, which helps. Everyone gets two three course cooked meals a day, but breakfast is the usual roll and jam, with a scrape of margarine!!!! Diabetics are well catered for,(apart from breakfast--- the same as everyone else, minus the jam!) although there is no choice, if you're allergic to fish, as I am. All diabetic diets are calorie controlled, but conform to whatever the hospital endocrinologist believes is best for diabetics ---- in our local hospital that means most calories come from carbs (although to be fair, most of the carbs are unrefined)!!!
I dose by carb counting. If there was an unsuitable meal but the only thing I like (once this happened) I ate less of it, no one says you've got to eat it and they generally have sandwiches. I never thought I'd say this but I'm a white to brown bread convertee. I love granary batch, ham, tomato, bit of philadelphia-light and cucumber. I wouldn't have eaten that 2 years ago, even if I was starving. My wife offered me a ritz cracker and phill-lite a couple of years ago. I hate crackers normally, so dry and bland, like chewing dessicated cardboard. Oh yeah that and pate! Anyhow, I digress...soz to veer towards off-topic, sincerely.
Anyway, my second closest hospital is shutting and good! Stafford hospital has nothing but misery when I think of it, from my wife, cousin and aunts and uncles. All were worse coming out than when they went in. This will no doubt mean more patients at Wolverhampton New Cross and Stoke Hospital, the latter of whom saved my wife from bleeding to death after her uterus ruptured after our second daughter. She needed an emergency hysterectomy, shame as I wanted another child, again I digress and will shut up a day or two.
Anyway, my second closest hospital is shutting and good! Stafford hospital has nothing but misery when I think of it, from my wife, cousin and aunts and uncles. All were worse coming out than when they went in. This will no doubt mean more patients at Wolverhampton New Cross and Stoke Hospital, the latter of whom saved my wife from bleeding to death after her uterus ruptured after our second daughter. She needed an emergency hysterectomy, shame as I wanted another child, again I digress and will shut up a day or two.
I found that the Calder-dale hospital quite good for sorting my aliment out and this meant sorting my blood sugars they left me to it I ate what I could from the menu as the normal hospital food was a low standard. I worked night then and my body clock was 12 hours out and I kept asking for food at 1 am my normal lunch time and again at 4 am.
On an other visit I asked about the diabetic raspberry ripple the fist ingredient was sugar so there was other inconstancy such rice pud with again sugar. I complained and a kitchen rep came up to talk and at he end offered me a job on the team ( it never happened though) but he did seem impressed with my nutritional information.
On an other visit I asked about the diabetic raspberry ripple the fist ingredient was sugar so there was other inconstancy such rice pud with again sugar. I complained and a kitchen rep came up to talk and at he end offered me a job on the team ( it never happened though) but he did seem impressed with my nutritional information.
PhilT
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As long as the "state of the art" in diabetic nutrition is to eat what you want and back-titrate with insulin or cover it with other meds then we can't expect sensible food choices on the menu.
It is appalling that there are menu options that dictate how an animal should be slaughtered in line with medieval practices (with apologies to our Muslim readers) and yet the breakfast options for a diabetic or potential diabetic are carbs, carbs or carbs.
It is appalling that there are menu options that dictate how an animal should be slaughtered in line with medieval practices (with apologies to our Muslim readers) and yet the breakfast options for a diabetic or potential diabetic are carbs, carbs or carbs.
