Nursing 315

This class is a nursing nutrition class that I enhanced. In this class, I learned about the nutritional needs of children, adults, and geriatric patients. We first learned the different types of nutrients, such as the difference between protein, carbohydrates, and lipids. We learned how much of each of the different nutrients people of varying ages need in their diet to be healthy. I learned what forms of oils and carbohydrates are good for people. We then focused on the dietary needs for specific diseases and medical conditions. I learned what types of food a patient with cystic fibrosis would need. Patients with seizures often eat fatty foods and lots of carbs because this diet uses ketones for energy which helps prevent seizures. I also learned about different types of diets, such as the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet. This class was very interesting because I was able to understand how much one’s diet affects their holistic health. While I learned how to help patients eat foods that will help them with their specific issues, I also learned how I can eat to better benefit myself as well. To enhance this class, I did a project that combined nursing nutrition and the other class I enhanced, nursing pharmacology. We learned how some medications interact with certain drugs and can either be rendered less effective, or can create deadly effects. In my project, I researched how some foods interact with specific drugs, how it affects people, and examples of these situations. This helped me apply the knowledge I had learned in both classes to a larger, more real-world scale and understand how they connect together better. The presentation is included below.