Open AccessEffects on nutritional care practice after implementation of a flow chart‐based nutrition support protocol in an intensive care unit
Author(s) -
Wikjord Kristina,
Dahl Vegard,
Søvik Signe
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
nursing open
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.55
H-Index - 12
ISSN - 2054-1058
DOI - 10.1002/nop2.99
Subject(s) - parenteral nutrition , medicine , observational study , protocol (science) , intensive care unit , flow chart , clinical nutrition , enteral administration , emergency medicine , intensive care medicine , alternative medicine , pathology , engineering drawing , engineering
Background Enteral nutrition ( EN ) is associated with improved outcome in critically ill patients and is more affordable. We compared nutritional care practice in our ICU before and after modification of our nutrition support protocol: Several comprehensive documents were substituted with one flow chart and early EN was encouraged. Design Retrospective observational study. Methods Nutritional data were collected from admission up to 7 days in 25 patients before and 25 patients after protocol modification. Results The percentage of patients receiving EN within 72 hr of admission increased from 64% before to 88% after protocol modification. Cumulative percentage energy from EN during ICU days 1–4 increased from 26–89% of total kcal. Overall amount of nutrition administered enterally increased, with a corresponding marked decline in use of parenteral nutrition. Pre‐modification, >80% of patients received >65% of their calculated nutrition requirements by ICU Day 4; post‐modification this goal was achieved by Day 7.