Why is your nutrition intake important?
Eating well in a hospital will help you recover from illness faster, maintain strength and function, and help to decrease the length of hospital admission. Patients who eat poorly in hospital can become malnourished, affecting how well they heal, recover, and get back to their home environment.
What can you do if you have concerns about your nutrition in the hospital?
Sault Area Hospital has Registered Dietitians (RDs) on all inpatient units. There are also Registered Dietitians in the Algoma Regional Renal Program and the Algoma District Cancer Program.
If you have concerns about your nutrition in the hospital, you can ask your nurse, nurse practitioner, or physician for a referral to the Registered Dietitian.
What can you expect from your RD?
Your Registered Dietitian will assess your nutritional status and individual needs and develop a nutrition care plan to maintain or improve your nutrition status. They may order you a special diet, add additional food items to your trays, or order you oral nutrition supplements (i.e. Ensure or Boost). If you cannot meet your needs using food, they may order specialized treatments like vitamin/mineral supplements, tube feeding or TPN (IV feeding).
