Nutrition and Hydration

Abstract Nutrition and hydration are fundamental aspects of healthcare, especially in the care of older people, particularly those in hospitals or in long-term care facilities. Worldwide, nurses are ‘best-placed’ coordinators of interdisciplinary nutritional management and care processes. Even so, it is essential that nurses collaborate with other healthcare specialists as an interdisciplinary team to provide high-quality care that reflects patients’ needs for assessment, intervention, and health promotion. When an interdisciplinary team work collaboratively, care is more successful, improves patient outcomes, and reduces the risk of in-hospital and long-term mortality. The care process begins with screening and monitoring of the nutritional status and fluid intake of all older people within 24 h of admission. In the case of positive screening, comprehensive assessment and involvement of other team members should undertake to understand the underlying problem. Appropriate food and appealing meals, snacks, and drinks should be available and offered with recommended amounts of energy, protein, vitamins, minerals (particularly calcium), and water. This should be complemented with supplementary drinks if intake is not adequate. The prescription of vitamin D and calcium should be discussed. Patient-centred and evidence-based information should provide and interventions in the case of end-of-life care should be appropriate discussed. Educating, informing, and involving patients and families increases their level of health literacy. Malnutrition and/or dehydration management should be included in the discharge plan. The aim of this chapter is to increase awareness of nurses’ responsibility, within a multidisciplinary team, for assessment and intervention of nutrition and hydration, examine the issues pertaining to nutrition and fluid balance in older people and outline the nature, assessment and interventions relating to malnutrition and dehydration.