[Needs of caregivers and needs of the dying regarding food].

The need for food in dying patients varies from one individual to the next. This requires the nursing staff to establish a precise history of the eating and drinking habits of these patients and their families. The necessary care is based on this history, on the professional knowledge of the nursing personnel, and on the ethical guidelines of the Swiss Association of Nursing Personnel, published in 1990. Care and nutrition programs must be reevaluated daily and adapted to the changing situation of the patient. The paper presents six major strategies drawn up by Brown and Chekryn in 1987 in order to assist nursing staff in coping with dehydration problems. Five (non-representative) interviews with experienced nurses throw light on the importance of giving special consideration to the nutritional needs of dying patients.