There are numerous clean supplemental drinks on the market nowadays. I know because I have done tons of research for my own supplemental needs. If I am in the hospital for even an elective surgery, during my stay in the hospital, if I asked for a carbonated beverage to help my sick stomach, or a protein drink, or a yogurt,,,,,,my choice would all have high fructose corn syrup. Healing to me begins the second the procedure is done or the hospitalization begins (obvious exceptions here). At least have choices. Hearing a nurse say that good nutrition is a longer strategy for a healthy life rather than a day to day concern is a concern in itself. I understand the priorities that nurses must make but doesnt it seem counterproductive to have a job helping people get better but also handing them poisons at the same time? Sorry Gtaus, didnt mean to make it seem like I'm berating you or whatever. many of my friends are nurses and the struggle is real. They have bills to pay and families to raise. Just sayin' that the cleaner options for foods we eat while recovering should at least be available. <3Well, I am not a nutritionist, but I am a Registered Nurse (non-active). There are many reasons patients get drinks like Ensure. There are many different types of supplemental drinks used to treat individual needs of the patient.
It's a more complicated issue than I think the nutritionist is addressing. Yes, food is the first medicine, and we would all do better eating quality natural food. However, many patients I have cared for cannot eat, or process, natural food.
FWIW, in Nursing School, we had to drink some of those adult supplements that we give to our patients. I even drank some Pedialyte that we give to kids. Most of my patients did not get those drink supplements, but if a doctor ordered them, there was always a good reason. I was OK with that.
Having said all that, I always felt that we learned very little about nutrition in Nursing School. Just the bare minimum to get through the NCLEX testing. Should we know more about nutrition, I think so. But, in reality, the patients we care for temporarily in the hospital need specific care for immediate needs. Good nutrition is a longer strategy for a healthy life. That was not usually my concern for a patient on a day-to-day care basis.