Challenges of Nutrition Department in a Selected Teaching Hospital: a qualitative study

Department of Nutrition is one of the most important parts of a hospital that has a significant role in patient's satisfaction. Managers' attention to the quality of nutrition services reduces hospital costs. This study was conducted to identify the challenges of the nutrition department of a selected teaching hospital.

The present study was a qualitative study done with phenomenological approach in 2018. Purposeful sampling and snowball sampling were used. Data collection was done through semi-structured interview.  Participants were 25 individuals involved in the nutrition department of the selected teaching hospital in Kerman. Finally, data analysis was done using framework analysis.

The identified challenges were classified into 7 main codes and 21 sub-codes. Main codes were the contracts and tenders, staff supervision, financing, operational line monitoring, human resources, quality of food and physical space. 

Paying attention to the hospitals’ nutrition departments is one of the main factors in patients' recovery and an inseparable part of the treatment process. Therefore, hospital managers and policymakers should pay particular attention to this part and to improve the nutrition department status of the hospitals through reviewing and modifying contracts and tenders, staff supervision, financing, queue monitoring and providing sufficient human resources, high quality food and required physical space.