6^th World Nursing and Healthcare Conference

Biography

Biography: Dilek Ongan

Abstract

Aim: In this study providing overall assessment of nutritional quality of Turkish residential/nursing homes was aimed. Methods: Nutrition services were evaluated with “Food and Nutritional Care Indicators in Assisted-Living Facilities for Older Adults” and “Menu Checklists” in 25 institutions chosen with stratified sampling method among NUTS 1 regions throughout Turkey. Hygiene perception of food service staff was investigated, food safety practices were observed. Findings: Dietitians worked at 12 of the institutions (48.0%). Between-meals were generally served (76.0%); being “pastries and dairy products/fruits/juices” or “milk and fruit” most frequently (27.8% and 16.6%, respectively). Institutions had good level of menu control. Foodservice staff was given in-service education about personal (32.2%) and food hygiene (28.6%) mostly by nurses (37.1%). 65.11±10.53% of “Food and Nutritional Care Indicators” was complied. Some general and therapeutic nutrition services were lacking; healthy cooking methods, provision of similar meals for meals missed/rejected by the residents, monitoring body weight, assessment of nutritional status, updating diet menus. Hygiene perception score of the staff was 154.46±12.74 while the lowest perception was on personal hygiene. Staff wore right shoes, dressed clean (84.0%), had clean and short nails (100%), however they did not follow hygienic hand washing rules. Nutrition services and menu control were significantly better in the institutions in which dietitians worked (p<0.05). Conclusions: It was concluded that nutrition services can be improved by increasing dietitian employment and conducting audits with checklists to give better nutritional care to the elderly. Food safety practices should be improved by regular applied training sessions for foodservice staff.