What should you do if a resident refuses to eat?

• A. Respect the choice, offer small portions or preferred foods later, document refusal, and notify nurse if nutrition concerns.
• B. Forcibly feed the resident.
• C. Ignore the refusal.
• D. Reduce fluids.

Answer: (A)

Respecting a resident’s autonomy while ensuring safe nourishment is the key idea here. When someone refuses to eat, the best course is to honor their choice, offer smaller portions or their preferred foods later, and document the refusal. It’s important to notify the nurse if there are ongoing nutrition concerns so the care plan can be adjusted and any underlying issues can be explored. As a CNA, you can also check for common barriers to eating—pain, nausea, dental problems, fatigue, or medication effects—and report anything suggesting a change in appetite or nutrition risk.

Forcing feeding is not appropriate and can cause distress, choking, or aspiration and violates the resident’s rights. Simply ignoring the refusal neglects the resident’s needs and can lead to dehydration and malnutrition. Reducing fluids would worsen dehydration and isn’t a solution to a food refusal.