Nutrition - accountability
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has explored the meaning of accountabiity and responsibility in relation to nutrition.
Every member of the nursing team is accountable for:
- providing some aspect of nutritional care, be that at frontline delivery or executive board level
- assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating the nutritional and hydration needs of patients, clients and users
- contributing to ongoing monitoring, evaluation and review of the nutrition of patients, clients and users through clinical governance systems.
(RCN 2007, p.10)
The nursing team is responsible for:
- providing person-centred and evidence-based care
- in relation to nutrition this means ensuring that all aspects of nutrition are taken into account and acted upon in the context of the persons individual needs
- keeping up to date through accessing and using quality information and evidence about nutrition and hydration through continuous professional development
- challenging poor practice in relation to nutrition and hydration.
(RCN 2007, p. 11)
References
RCN (2007) Nutrition now. Principles for nutrition and hydration. London: RCN.
Further sources
See also Core nutritional care resources.
Royal College of Nursing (2010) Principles of Nursing Practice: Principle B
The Principles describe what everyone can expect from nursing practice, whether colleagues, patients, their families or carers. Principle B focuses on ethical integrity, legal integrity, accountability and responsibility. This page brings together RCN resources which are particularly relevant to this Principle.