California Nursing Home Administrator License Practice Exam

Therapeutic diets should be provided based on what requirement?

1. Preferences of family members

2. A health care provider's order

3. The resident's request

4. Staff observations of resident dislikes

The correct answer is: A health care provider's order

Therapeutic diets are specialized meal plans designed to meet the specific medical or health needs of residents. The primary requirement for providing these diets stems from a health care provider's order. Such orders are based on an individual assessment of the resident’s health status, which may include factors like medical conditions, dietary restrictions, and nutritional needs. When a health care provider prescribes a therapeutic diet, it ensures that the diet is tailored to the resident’s unique situation, which helps in managing their medical conditions, facilitating recovery, or maintaining health. This may include diets that are low in sodium for residents with high blood pressure, diabetic diets for those managing diabetes, or other specialized plans dictated by a licensed professional. On the other hand, preferences of family members, resident requests, or staff observations, while important for overall care and satisfaction, do not have the clinical basis necessary for establishing therapeutic diets. Family preferences may not align with medical needs, resident requests may overlook dietary restrictions, and staff observations could be subjective and not necessarily reflect the best health practices. Therefore, the guiding principle is always a health care provider's order, ensuring professionalism and holistic care in dietary management within nursing homes.