SNACKS FOR STAFF

In-Service Project
Manchester Memorial Hospital
Outpatient/Counseling
Courtney LeDuc
Spring 2024
Program Rational
Purpose
● Celebrate National Nutrition Month - March 6, 2024
● Educate healthcare workers on choosing energy-fueling snacks
Importance of Snacking
● Hospital staff often spend 8+ hours active on their feet
● Offer much-needed energy boosts and help maintain glucose levels between meals
● Either purchased from cafeteria or brought from home
● Recommended to limit snacks with low nutritional value
Nutritional Impact
● Convenience snacks often high in carbohydrates
● Pairing carbs with protein or fat stabilizes blood sugar levels
● Balanced snacks provide steadier energy supply
Outcome
● Help maintain focus and energy
● Adequately fueled to provide quality patient care
Goals:
1. Provide example of nutritious snack
2. Test knowledge
3. Offer quick, yet useful information
4. Encourage the audience to provide alternative examples indepently

By achieving these goals, we aimed to promote healthy

snacking habits among healthcare workers, enhance their
nutritional awareness, and foster a culture of informed food
choices without the hospital community.
Audience
● Primarily healthcare staff
○ Floor nurses, doctors, OT, PT, SLP
● Case managers
● Custodians
● Security
● Retail staff
● IT workers
● Outpatient offices
● Students
● Directors/Managers
Aim: To engage with individuals from all departments and areas within the hospital
to ensure inclusivity and tailor education to different knowledge backgrounds.
Implementation
● Snack Prep - 9:00am
○ Ingredients and supplies provided by food service
department
● Snack distribution - ~2 hours
○ Offered to interested and available staff
○ Asked and engaged discussions about snacks
● Educational Engagement
○ Discussions about pairing carbs with fats/proteins for
sustained energy
○ Reading and understanding food labels
■ Showcased 3 popular cafeteria snacks
● Handout
○ Easy snack pairing examples and reading food labels
● Audience Involvement
○ Questions about snack choice, available for follow up
questions, brainstorming other snack pairings
Updated
Snack Pairing
Handout
Cost Analysis
Supplies provided by Food Service
● Assorted Berries = $65.46 total
○ Raspberries - 6 cases ($4.88 per case) = $29.28
○ Blackberries - 6 cases ($3.46 per case) = $20.76
○ Blueberries - 6 cases ($2.57 per case) = $15.42
● Walnuts & Mixed Nuts = $37.59 total
○ Walnuts - 1 bag ($15.53/lb)
○ Mixed Nuts - 1 bag ($22.06/lb)
● Plastic Sampling Cups = $10.80
○ 360 total ($0.03/cup)

Total Cost: $113.85

Total Participants: 150 = $0.76 per participant

Labor: Myself & Sandra

Additional Expenses:
● Printed Handouts - No cost
● Showcased snacks - No cost, borrowed from cafe
Evaluation Tool: For Learners
● Verbal pre/post evaluations
○ Prior to receiving snacks
■ “Why do you believe this snack is a healthy choice”
○ Post education
■ Ability to suggest alternative snack pairs
● Handouts distributed to those interested in further information or needed assistance
Evaluation of Program
Learner Evaluation:
● Enthusiastic participation
● Enlightening responses to pre-question by healthcare professionals
○ “antioxidants”, “superfoods”, “healthy fats”
● Positive responses to education - gratitude for learning something new
● Sharing personal experiences - leading to discussions on improvements and ideas
● Engagement - many remained for further discussion

Self - Evaluation:
● Mobile approach increased inclusivity
● Reached larger audience
● Positive feedback - Staff appreciated direct approach and concise lesson

Professional Evaluation:
● Positive feedback from preceptor and audience
● Satisfaction with project and turnout
● Promoted “The Center for Healthy Living” and created interprofessional connections
Future Suggestions
● Adding flyer to cafeteria showcasing healthy snack choices and measuring sales over
time
● Good marketing tool
Questions?