Open AccessNutritional Support in the Intensive Care Unit
Author(s) -
Kurt Boeykens
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
dimensions of critical care nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.469
H-Index - 29
eISSN - 1538-8646
pISSN - 0730-4625
DOI - 10.1097/dcc.0000000000000448
Subject(s) - parenteral nutrition , intensive care unit , medicine , nursing , intensive care medicine , enteral administration , intensive care , narrative review , medline , political science , law
Several nursing practices are related to oral, enteral, or parenteral feeding on the intensive care unit. Nurses are the group of health care professionals who provide 24-hour care for patients. Therefore, they play a key role in not only identifying nutritional problems but also in ensuring the success of nutritional therapy by implementing evidence-based feeding protocols and ongoing care for (par)enteral access devices. Having an up-to-date evidence-based knowledge about nutritional support can increase safety and quality of care and can contribute to better outcomes. In this narrative review, the most recent European intensive care unit nutrition guidelines and related research are highlighted, and where appropriate, specific applications for nursing practice are described.