Hi, I'm Cathy with Level Up RN. In this video, I'm going to continue my coverage of topics from our Level Up RN nutrition flashcard deck. Specifically, I'll be talking about nutritional guidance for nausea, vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea. At the end of the video, I'm going to give you guys a quiz to test your understanding of some of the key points I'll be covering. So definitely stay tuned for that. And if you have our flashcards, go ahead and pull out your flashcards on these disorders so you can follow along with me.
Nausea is a common symptom associated with a number of conditions, such as pregnancy, a gastrointestinal infection, and cancer treatment, just to name a few. Let's go over some interventions that often help reduce nausea. So first of all, individuals with nausea are advised to consume five to six smaller meals throughout the day as opposed to three larger meals. In addition, drinking small amounts of liquids during meals and consuming more liquids between meals can help. Foods that are at room temperature or chilled are often better tolerated than hot foods. And then easily digested low-fat carbohydrates, such as crackers or toast, often go down better than high-fat foods. And then finally, individuals with nausea are advised to avoid strong food or drink smells.
Next, let's talk about vomiting. An individual who is vomiting is advised not to eat or drink anything until vomiting has stopped. Afterwards, they should drink clear liquids and then slowly progress to full liquids and then slowly add back in solid foods. A key complication of vomiting is dehydration. And it's important to note that children and older adults are at increased risk for dehydration as well as electrolyte imbalances. As a reminder, signs and symptoms of dehydration include weight loss, hypotension, tachycardia, decreased urine output, decreased skin turgor, dry mucous membranes, and a weak, thready pulse.
Next, let's talk about constipation, which is defined as having fewer than three bowel movements per week. In addition, stools may be hard, dry, and difficult to pass. Individuals with constipation are advised to increase their intake of fluids as well as fiber-rich foods, such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. In addition, increasing physical activity helps to increase bowel motility.
Last but not least, let's talk about diarrhea, which is when an individual has loose, watery bowel movements. There are many causes of diarrhea, including contaminated food or water, an infection, or a chronic disorder, just to name a few. With diarrhea, it is super important to replace lost fluids and electrolytes. So an adult with diarrhea should consume fluids that contain electrolytes, such as a sports drink or an oral rehydration solution, such as Pedialyte. And then a BRAT diet, which contains bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast, may improve symptoms. A child with diarrhea should be given an oral rehydration solution, such as Pedialyte, and a regular diet should be resumed as soon as possible. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a BRAT diet should be avoided in children because it is low in nutrients, and it can actually make the child's symptoms last longer. And then as a reminder, infants, children, and older adults are at increased risk for dehydration if they have diarrhea. So you'll definitely want to monitor for signs and symptoms of dehydration that we talked about earlier when we talked about vomiting.
All right, it's quiz time. And I've got four questions for you. Question number one: Drinking only small amounts of liquids with meals can help reduce nausea. True or false?
The answer is true.
Question number two: What is a key complication of vomiting and diarrhea?
The answer is dehydration as well as electrolyte imbalances.
Question number three: How does dehydration affect a patient's blood pressure and heart rate?
The answer is the patient's blood pressure will be decreased, and then their heart rate will increase to compensate for the hypotension.
Question number four: Children with diarrhea should be given a BRAT diet. True or false?
The answer is false. Children with diarrhea should be given an oral rehydration solution, and then a regular diet should be resumed as soon as possible.
All right. That's it for this video. Thank you for watching. Take care and good luck with studying.
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Go ahead and pull out your flashcards on these just-- low carbohydrate. A dry something-- dry mucous membranes.
