Community Nurses Support Nutrition and Hydration Week

Community nurses and students covering the Lincoln and Gainsborough area have been working together to help support this year's Nutrition and Hydration Week.

The joint initiative has seen student nurses from the University of Lincoln visiting care homes to educate staff on the importance of good nutrition and hydration as part of their placement with Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS).

The Patient Safety First annual Nutrition and Hydration Week, which runs from March 18-24, focusses on the basics of patient safety information, encouraging health professionals and carers to consider the significance of nutrition and hydration.

The student nurses have been working closely with their mentors to develop resources for some of the care and residential homes supported by LCHS across the north west of the county, allowing them to develop their own skills and learn how to share their knowledge.

The students also prepared a short education session, which has been delivered to carers and a representative from the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB), which is supporting the partnership working.

Maxine Leggett, Matron for Planned Care in the north west of Lincolnshire, said: "Having a good understanding of the importance of nutrition and hydration can not only help aid recovery, but will also improve a person's general health and well-being.

"We like to take every opportunity to help develop the student nurses on placement with us and this has been a project they have been able to take ownership of. It's something which has not only engaged our students, but is also supported by our community teams, mentors and lecturers, and the Directors of Nursing for both LCHS and the University of Lincoln.