DIETETIC Management PRACTICES: Creativity
Sara Parker is a manager at a camp for children overcoming cystic fibrosis. She manages a staff of 20 seasonal employees during the summer for a period of approximately four months. Recently, the camp has realized a shortage in qualified staff capable of working providing nutritional guidelines and creative menu plans for children who suffer from CS. The regional manager of program has told Sara that without an adequate staff, more pressure will be placed on the counselors that are currently working with the organization to develop creative ways to incorporate a healthy diet and encourage students to eat more fiber and energy dense foods, which studies show may help children with CF (Gavin, 2002).
The additional work load would require that current staff members work directly with students to create a new menu plan that was easily followed, and overtime hours will be required. In addition, recent budget cutbacks have narrowed the budget allocated to purchasing literature available on the benefit of fiber and other nutritional products on colonic function and other aspects of children with CF. Thus counselors have to come up with...
Studies suggest that nutritional education alone is not enough to teach children with CF the critical elements of good nutrition (Duff, 2002). Nutritional care teams are essential to help children alter their mealtime behavior and assure that CF complies with recommended dietary guidelines. In addition children with CF are noted for being particularly at risk for behavioral feeding difficulties, and they usually delay meals, have particularly long meals when compared to children that do not have a chronic illness (Duff, 2002).
The regional manager as a leader in the camp community should be acting in a manner that is in the best interests of the community and of the counselors currently working. From an ethical standpoint he has an obligation to do whatever is necessary to ensure the well being of participants.
Reflections:
In this…
