Standards of the nutritional support process in Spain — Towards benchmarking

Introduction: quality indicators have been proposed in Spain for assessing the various stages of clinical nutrition. However, reference standards for these indicators (feasible and relevant) based on daily practice of artificial nutrition are not available. Goals: the goal of this study was to propose quality indicators standards for their routine application to artificial nutrition in clinical practice. Material and methods: a multicenter, cross-sectional study-based on a survey applied to health professionals in the field of clinical nutrition-on the fulfilment of eight quality criteria was carried out during 2018 and 2019. The total number of processes and those that were correctly accomplished were assessed and compared with the corresponding proposed theoretical standard. Results: fifteen centers were assessed. Of eight indicators assessed, five were within the theoretical standard (correct identification of parenteral nutrition bags, semi-upright position of patients on enteral nutrition, administration of micronutrients in ready-to-use parenteral nutrition bags, checking placement of feeding tubes, and days with glycemia below 60 mg/dL). Two indicators were very close to the theoretical standard. One indicator, hyperglycemia in patients with parenteral nutrition, was far removed from its theoretical standard (15.7 % vs. 5 %). Conclusion: the administration of artificial nutrition in Spanish hospitals was performed with a high quality level. Therefore, standards based on daily clinical practice regarding artificial nutrition in Spain are proposed.