EATING DESPITE SEVERE DIFFICULTIES - ASSESSMENT OF POSTSTROKE EATING

A programme for the assessment and nursing diagnoses of eating difficu lties among stroke patients was tested. The patients' experiences rega rding eating were expressed in interviews and dialogues. Eating was ob served during both a test meal and regular meals. The assessments incl uded the prerequisites for eating as well as oral, pharyngeal and oeso phageal functions. General and specific nursing diagnoses as well as l ife consequences (handicap) were established, based on assessment of d isabilities and impairments, and interviewing the patients and their f amilies, respectively. The general nursing diagnoses were formulated o n admission after the test meal and these were reformulated to form sp ecific nursing diagnoses after assessments of the functions. The progr amme presented proved to be useful in clinical practice. It is emphasi zed that many assessments must be co-ordinated for each individual.