The nurse is the cornerstone of nutrition delivery (Nestle Health Science sponsored session)

Nurse driven metabolic care

(Mette Berger)

Pts with lower cumulative protein and energy deficits are 3x more likely to go home

ICU is a changeful environment – multiple factors preventing pts from being fed to prescribed goals, but the MAIN problem is often getting EN prescribed / re-started

Nurse-driven protocols (e.g. insulin infusion, catheter infection prevention, resuscitation etc) have a track record of working well!

–> Can Nutrition be nurse-driven, independent of doctors?

focus on glycaemic control
initiation / resumption of feeding
tube placement / control
monitoring of delivery

Clear protocols listing roles with describing their responsibilities

Metabolism and nutritional needs vary through the phases of critical illness / during rehabilitation

Nutritional Risk Score (NRS) to identify pts at risk of nutrition-related complications

Glycaemic control

demonstrable improvement in tight glucose control when transferred to the care of nurses
nurse immediately available to assess and respond to BMs

Initiation of Feeding

gastric residues may prevent feeding first 48 hrs post-op
can check using ultrasound
try pro kinetics during this time

Tube placement

tube checking protocols

Monitoring delivery

ESPEN guidelines suggest progressively increasing feeding; aggressive early feeding risks hurting sick gut

do NOT aim to cover prescribed feeding goals in the first week
nurse is well-positioned to detect signs of pt tolerating / not tolerating feed
Beware absent stools – Encourage emollients and fibres in feed upon initiation of feeding – this should not cause significant diarrhoea

**Metabolic rationale for starting slow:

Endogenous glucose production is stopped by eating (in healthy people) – this mechanism is lost in critical illness, and therefore there is continuous endogenous glucose production of 200-300g glucose / day = 800kcal even if EN is commenced

–> therefore, starting with a full feed will result in overfeeding

A nursing perspective on nutrition

(Beatrice Jenni-Moser, M-M Jeitziner)

Nutrition has a significant impact on a pt’s ability to respond to medical / nursing treatment

Large variation in nursing practices around nutrition (availability of nutritional guidelines, knowledge and leadership)

Nutrition is often prioritised lower than other care needs

** pt’s relatives are often concerned about having ‘enough to eat’

New paradigm of rehabilitation: Start early, not at the end of medical treatment

–> the same should apply to nutrition – need an MDT approach

Quality project

Setting: Interdisciplinary ICU / 37 beds
Approx 4000pts / year
Length of stay: 2.4days (mean); 8% of pts stay 7days or more

Aim: Overview of nutrition, diarrhoea and constipation

Method: Chart reviews

Sample: (Neurological disease 40%)

2018 – 97 pts, mean age 61.4 (16-90)

2017 – 93 pts, mean age 60.2 (21-94)

— Protocol designed around existing guidelines for patients and also potentially difficult pts

EN as the standard approach, early EN within 48 hrs
Continuous rather than bolus EN
Contraindication to oral, EN –> PN should start within 3-7 days
Early and progressive PN is better than starvation
After 3 days, caloric delivery can be increased up to 80-100%

Nutritional Assessment: In-depth evaluation of objective and subjective data related to an individual’s food and nutrient intake, lifestyle, medical history

Combine with Frailty scale in every pt for a baseline frailty score (not just in the older pts / long stay)