Abstract
The aim of this study was to describe and analyse how meals and the eating environment can be experienced in hospital setting. The study was based on the experiences of eight patients in a geriatric rehabilitation ward. The research approach was influenced by Grounded Theory. The need of good nutrition for hospital patients has been highlighted in recent years. There have been several reports that point out that patients starve in hospitals. Florence Nightingale emphasised that a good eating environment is central for the patient to receive their required nutritional needs. There are several causes for malnutrition in hospital, one is an unsuitable eating environment. The eating environment in a hospital differs depending on factors like its location and ward routines. The staff and patients are also part of the environment.
The findings indicated that most of the patients were satisfied with the hospital food. However there were some criticism on the food and its preparation. None of the patient knew that there were different dinner alternatives. Most of the patients had poor appetite, which they related to oral mucous dysfunction, pain and/or medicine.
Fellow-patients seem to be a large part of the eating environment. The relationships between the fellow-patients can give social comfort and / or they can identify themselves with other patients in a similar condition. But it can also give problems with disturbing and anxious fellow-patients. Most of the patients were positive towards eating in the dining room. But some of them had a desire to eat alone because their physical dysfunction's get their table manners worse. There were also wishes for a separate dining room for anxious and disturbing patients.