A resident in long-term care consistently pushes their plate away and states, "I'm not hungry," during meal times, consuming very little. The HCA notices the resident has lost 2 kg over the past month. What should the HCA do FIRST?

Question: A resident in long-term care consistently pushes their plate away and states, "I'm not hungry," during meal times, consuming very little. The HCA notices the resident has lost 2 kg over the past month. What should the HCA do FIRST?

Answer options: ✅ Document the intake, weight loss, and report observations to the LPN/RN.

• Force-feed the resident a high-calorie supplement.
• Tell the resident they must eat to stay healthy.
• Offer to spoon-feed the resident every bite.

Correct answer: Document the intake, weight loss, and report observations to the LPN/RN.

Explanation: The HCA's primary role is to observe, document, and report changes in a resident's condition to the nursing staff. This allows the care team to assess the cause of reduced intake and weight loss, and develop an appropriate care plan.