... whether it is, or ought to be the role of the nurse to feed patients. The issues examined will relate to a surgical ward within a local trust. Hospital catering is an essential part of patient care. Patients need nutritious, appetising food that they are able to eat in order to aid their recovery. If patients do not maintain an adequate dietary intake they may become malnourished, this increases the risk of delayed healing, (Williams & Leaper 2000). Malnutrition may be defined as bad nutrition, and applies to "any condition caused by excess or deficient energy or nutrient intake, or by an imbalance of nutrients". (Whitney, Cataldo & Rolfes 1994). The report highlights undernutrition as delaying recovery from illness or surgical or medical intervention, and further suggests it may be life threatening as it can cause complications in illnesses. The latter statement is supported by findings from the "Royal College of ...

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