Nutritional Components of Care | Chapter 11: Saunders NCLEX-PN Review

Chapter 11 of Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-PN® Examination (7th Edition) by Linda Anne Silvestri and Angela E. Silvestri provides an in-depth review of nutrition and its integration into nursing care. It begins with a breakdown of essential nutrients—carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes—along with their dietary sources, roles in the body, and caloric values. MyPlate guidelines are introduced to support healthy eating, and therapeutic diets are explained in detail, including clear liquid, full liquid, mechanical soft, soft, low- and high-fiber, cardiac, fat-restricted, sodium-restricted, protein-restricted, renal, potassium-modified, high-calorie/high-protein, carbohydrate-consistent, and low-purine diets. The chapter also addresses specific dietary recommendations for conditions like diabetes, hypertension, gout, celiac disease, kidney disease, and heart failure. Vegetarian and vegan diets are discussed, including strategies to avoid nutrient deficiencies. The chapter concludes with nursing guidelines for enteral and parenteral nutrition, including administration, complications, lipid infusion precautions, and the importance of monitoring lab values and preventing refeeding syndrome. Home care teaching tips and evidence-based practices for nutrition therapy are also emphasized, equipping students to assess, educate, and care for clients with complex nutritional needs. 📚 Key Concepts Covered 🔸 Macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats—functions and food sources 🔸 Vitamins and minerals: fat- vs. water-soluble, food sources, deficiency signs 🔸 Electrolyte functions and their nutritional implications 🔸 MyPlate guidelines for balanced daily intake 🔸 Therapeutic diets: indications, contents, and nursing considerations 🔸 Diet modifications for chronic illness (renal, cardiac, GI, diabetes) 🔸 Fluid restriction management and thirst-reducing strategies 🔸 Vegetarian and vegan diets: types, risks, and supplementation needs 🔸 Parenteral nutrition (PN) and total parenteral nutrition (TPN): components, administration, and risks 🔸 Enteral nutrition: tube feeding types, complications, and lactose-free considerations 🔸 Protein-calorie malnutrition and high-calorie, high-protein interventions 🔸 Sodium, potassium, calcium, iron, and purine dietary modifications 🔸 Dietary strategies for wound healing and anemia 🔸 Common nutrition-related NCLEX questions and clinical scenarios 🔸 Home care education for patients receiving nutrition therapy 📘 Read full blog summaries for every chapter: https://lastminutelecture.com 📘 Have a book recommendation? Submit your suggestion here: https://forms.gle/y7vQQ6WHoNgKeJmh8 Thank you for being a part of our little Last Minute Lecture family! ⚠️ Disclaimer: These summaries are created for educational and entertainment purposes only. They provide transformative commentary and paraphrased overviews to help students understand key ideas from the referenced textbooks. Last Minute Lecture is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by any textbook publisher or author. All textbook titles, names, and cover images—when shown—are used under nominative fair use solely for identification of the work being discussed. Some portions of the writing and narration are generated with AI-assisted tools to enhance accessibility and consistency. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, these materials are intended to supplement—not replace—official course readings, lectures, or professional study resources. Always refer to the original textbook and instructor guidance for complete and authoritative information.