Current status and influencing factors of barriers to enteral feeding of critically ill patients: A multicenter study

Barriers and facilitators of adherence to evidence-based pressure injury prevention clinical practice guideline among intensive care nurses: A cross-sectional survey

OBJECTIVE

To explore intensive care unit (ICU) nurses' perceptions of their adherence to pressure injury prevention clinical practice guideline and identify the perceived barriers and facilitators that influence evidence-based pressure injury prevention practices in Chinese tertiary hospitals.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY/DESIGN

This was a multi-site, quantitative, cross-sectional study. Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire with three sections: participant demographic information, adherence to pressure injury prevention clinical practice guideline, and barriers to and facilitators of pressure injury prevention clinical practice guideline implementation.

SETTING

Thirty-three adult ICUs in 16 tertiary general hospitals in 5 major cities in Liaoning Province, China.

RESULTS

In total, 473 nurses responded to the survey. The mean score for adherence to pressure injury prevention clinical practice guideline was 159.06 ± 20.65, with 65.3 % reporting good adherence. Multiple stepwise regression analysis indicated that smaller ICU size (β = -0.114, p = 0.012) and having participated in training on pressure injury prevention clinical practice guideline (β = 0.149, p = 0.001) were statistically significantly associated with better adherence. ICU nurses identified the low priority given to pressure injury prevention as the top barrier. The top three facilitators were awareness of evidence-based practice, the current documentation format for pressure injury risk/nursing interventions, and leadership support.

CONCLUSION

ICU nurses' adherence to pressure injury prevention clinical practice guideline was satisfactory, and they reported low-to-moderate barriers and moderate facilitators.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE

Participating in training on pressure injury prevention clinical practice guideline was a predictor of ICU nurses' adherence. Therefore, it is highly recommended that healthcare organisations consider providing training to nurses and address the barriers identified to improve nurses' adherence to evidence-based pressure injury prevention guidelines.

Proactive enteral nutrition for patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation- implementation and clinical outcomes

BACKGROUND/ OBJECTIVES

Nutrition support is frequently required post allogeneic haematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation (HPCT) however the tolerance of enteral nutrition (EN) can vary. This mixed methods study aimed to explore staff perceptions, barriers and enablers to the use of EN post HPCT and report the implementation and outcomes of a nutrition protocol.

SUBJECT/ METHODS

A survey on barriers and enablers to the use of EN was developed and distributed to medical and nursing staff. Data on nutrition and clinical outcomes was collected for 12 months post implementation of a new nutrition protocol.

RESULTS

Thirty staff completed the survey, key barriers identified included uncertain EN tolerance, lack of confidence in nasogastric tube placement and insufficient training and resources. Eighty-four patients commenced EN, 23 changed to PN (27%) and 61 received EN only (73%). In total 36 patients received PN and eight patients oral nutrition support only. There was a difference in type of conditioning (p = 0.025) and nutritional status (p = 0.016) between patients who received PN vs EN only, with a higher proportion of malnourished patients receiving PN (23% vs 5%). Patients who received PN had a longer length of hospital stay (median 22 vs 19 days, p = 0.012) and lower rate of survival to day 100 (81% vs 95%, p = 0.036) than patients who received EN.

CONCLUSION

The use of EN may lead to improved clinical outcomes compared to PN therefore should be implemented as first line nutrition support.

Understanding nursing perspective towards barriers to the optimal delivery of enteral nutrition in intensive care settings

BACKGROUND

The management process of Enteral Nutrition (EN) typically involves the interaction between a team of health care practitioners. Nurses being the closest to the patients, have crucial responsibilities and play a major role in feeding delivery along with other medical treatments. This study was conducted to investigate the perception of the nurses working in adult and paediatric intensive care Units (ICUs) regarding the EN barriers and identify the factors that influenced their perception.

METHODS

The data in this cross-sectional study was collected via online survey between 15 October 2021 and January 2022. All nurses working in adult or paediatric ICUs across Saudi Arabia were eligible to participate. The tool used for the data collection was adapted from Cahill et al. (2016) and then reviewed and modified by the researchers. The survey collected information about the demographics of the nurses, and it included 24 potential EN barriers where the participants were asked to rate their importance on a scale from 1 to 5. Descriptive statistics were performed to describe the variables, univariant analysis were performed to compare the perceptions of the nurses regarding the EN barriers based on their characteristics followed by stepwise linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 136 nurses working in adult and paediatric ICUs were included in this study. The results showed that the most important barriers as perceived by the nurses was "Frequent displacement of feeding tube, requiring reinsertion" [3.29 ± 1.28], "Delays in initiating motility agents in patients not tolerating enteral nutrition" [3.27 ± 1.24] and "Enteral formula not available on the unit". [3.27 ± 1.24]. Our results showed that the responses of the participants statistically varied based on their work settings, gender, region, and educational level for some items in the survey (P-value ≤ 0.05). In the regression analysis, gender was the only variable statistically influenced the total Likert rating scores of the participants (r = -0.213, p-value = 0.013).

CONCLUSION

This study identified several barriers that exist in the nursing practice of EN in critical care settings. There are distinct differences in the perception of the nurses to these barriers based on their characteristics. Understanding such differences is important for implementing future strategies for units that needed the most help in prioritizing EN delivery.

The accuracy of intensive care nurses' interpretation of chest radiographs to recognise misplacement of endotracheal and nasogastric tubes after a single training session and comparison with residents' interpretation

BACKGROUND

Misplacements of endotracheal and nasogastric tubes are frequent encounters in critically ill patients.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a single standardised training session on the ability of intensive care registered nurses (RNs) to recognise the misplacement of endotracheal and nasogastric tubes on bedside chest radiographs of patients in intensive care units (ICUs).

METHODS

In eight French ICUs, RNs received a 110-min standardised teaching on the position of endotracheal and nasogastric tubes on chest radiographs. Their knowledge was evaluated within the subsequent weeks. For 20 chest radiographs, each with an endotracheal and nasogastric tube, RNs had to indicate whether each tube was in the proper or incorrect position. Training success was defined as >90% for the lower bound of the 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of the mean correct response rate (CRR). Residents of the participating ICUs underwent the same evaluation (without prior specific training).

RESULTS

In total, 181 RNs were trained and evaluated and 110 residents were evaluated. The global mean CRR for RNs was 84.6% (95% CI: 83.3-85.9), significantly higher than for residents (81.4% [95% CI: 79.7-83.2]) (P < 0.0001). The mean CRR for RNs and residents was 95.9% (93.9-98.0) and 97.0% (94.7-99.3) for misplaced nasogastric tubes (P = 0.54), 86.8% (85.2-88.5) and 82.6% (79.4-85.7) (P = 0.07) for nasogastric tubes in the correct position, 86.6% (83.8-89.3) and 62.7% (57.9-67.5) for misplaced endotracheal tubes (P < 0.0001), and 79.1% (76.6-81.6) and 84.7% (82.1-87.2) for endotracheal tubes in the correct position (P = 0.01), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The ability of trained RNs to detect tube misplacement did not reach the predetermined arbitrary level, indicating training success. Their mean CRR was higher than that for residents and was considered satisfactory for detecting misplaced nasogastric tubes. This finding is encouraging but insufficient to ensure patient safety. Transferring responsibility for reading radiographs to detect the misplacement of endotracheal tubes to intensive care RNs will need a more advanced or more in-depth teaching method.

Pedi-R-MAPP | the development, testing, validation, and refinement of a digital nutrition awareness tool

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The Remote Malnutrition Application (R-MAPP) was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide support for health care professionals (HCPs) working in the community to complete remote nutritional assessments and provide practical guidance for nutritional care. R-MAPP was adapted into Pediatric Remote Malnutrition Application (Pedi-R-MAPP) using a modified Delphi consensus, with the goal of providing a structured approach to completing a nutrition focused assessment as part of a technology enabled care service (TECS) consultation. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a digital version of Pedi-R-MAPP using the IDEAS framework (Integrate, Design, Assess and Share).

METHODS

A ten-step process was completed using the IDEAS framework. This involved the four concept processes; Stage-1, Integrate (Step 1-3) identify the problem, specify the goal, and use an evidence-based approach. Stage-2, (Step 4-7) design iteratively and rapidly with user feedback. Stage 3, (Step 8-9) Assess rigorously, and Stage 4 (Step 9-10) publish and launch of the tool.

RESULTS

Stage 1:Evidence-based development, Pedi-R-MAPP was developed using Delphi consensus methodology. Stage 2:Iteration & design, HCPs (n = 22) from UK, Europe, South Africa, and North America were involved four workshops to further develop a paper prototype of the tool and complete small-scale testing of a beta version of the tool which resulted in eight iterations. Stage 3:Assess rigorously, Small scale retrospective testing of the tool on children with congenital heart disease (n = 80) was completed by a single researcher, with iterative changes made to improve agreement with summary advice. Large scale testing amongst (n = 745) children in different settings was completed by specialist paediatric dietitians (n = 15) advice who recorded agreement with the summary advice compared with their own clinical assessment. Paediatric dietitians were in overall agreement with the summary advice in the tool 86% (n = 640), compared to their own clinical practice. The main reasons for disagreement were i) frequency of planned review 57.1% (n = 60/105), ii) need for ongoing dietetic review due to chronic condition 20.0% (n = 21/105), iii) disagreement with recommendation for discharge 16.2% (n = 17/105) and iv) concerns with faltering growth and/or need for condition specific growth charts 6.7% (7/105). Iterative changes were made to the algorithm, leading to an improvement in agreement of the summary advice on re-evaluation to 98% (p=<0.0001).

CONCLUSION

A digital version of the Pedi-R-MAPP nutrition awareness tool was developed using the IDEAS framework. The summary advice provided by the tool achieved a high level of agreement when compared to paediatric dietetic assessment, by providing a structured approach to completing a remote nutrition focused assessment, along with identifying the frequency of follow-up or an in-person assessment.

Factors associated with the need of parenteral nutrition in critically ill patients after the initiation of enteral nutrition therapy

Background and aims

Despite enteral nutrition (EN) is the preferred route of nutrition in patients with critical illness, EN is not always able to provide optimal nutrient provision and parenteral nutrition (PN) is needed. This is strongly associated with gastrointestinal (GI) complications, a feature of gastrointestinal dysfunction and disease severity. The aim of the present study was to investigate factors associated with the need of PN after start of EN, together with the use and complications associated with EN.

Methods

Adult patients admitted to 38 Spanish intensive care units (ICUs) between April and July 2018, who needed EN therapy were included in a prospective observational study. The characteristics of EN-treated patients and those who required PN after start EN were analyzed (i.e., clinical, laboratory and scores).

Results

Of a total of 443 patients, 43 (9.7%) received PN. One-third (29.3%) of patients presented GI complications, which were more frequent among those needing PN (26% vs. 60%, p = 0.001). No differences regarding mean energy and protein delivery were found between patients treated only with EN (n = 400) and those needing supplementary or total PN (n = 43). Abnormalities in lipid profile, blood proteins, and inflammatory markers, such as C-Reactive Protein, were shown in those patients needing PN. Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) on ICU admission (Hazard ratio [HR]:1.161, 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.053-1.281, p = 0.003) and modified Nutrition Risk in Critically Ill (mNUTRIC) score (HR:1.311, 95% CI:1.098-1.565, p = 0.003) were higher among those who needed PN. In the multivariate analysis, higher SOFA score (HR:1.221, 95% CI:1.057-1.410, p = 0.007) and higher triglyceride levels on ICU admission (HR:1.004, 95% CI:1.001-1.007, p = 0.003) were associated with an increased risk for the need of PN, whereas higher albumin levels on ICU admission (HR:0.424, 95% CI:0.210-0.687, p = 0.016) was associated with lower need of PN.

Conclusion

A higher SOFA and nutrition-related laboratory parameters on ICU admission may be associated with the need of PN after starting EN therapy. This may be related with a higher occurrence of GI complications, a feature of GI dysfunction.

Clinical trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03634943.

Enteral nutrition management in critically ill adult patients and its relationship with intensive care unit-acquired muscle weakness: A national cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the incidence and determinants of ICU-acquired muscle weakness (ICUAW) in adult patients with enteral nutrition (EN) during the first 7 days in the ICU and mechanical ventilation for at least 48 hours.

METHODS

A prospective, nationwide, multicentre cohort study in a national ICU network of 80 ICUs. ICU patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation for at least 48 hours and EN the first 7 days of their ICU stay were included. The primary outcome was incidence of ICUAW. The secondary outcome was analysed, during days 3-7 of ICU stay, the relationship between demographic and clinical data to contribute to the onset of ICUAW, identify whether energy and protein intake can contribute independently to the onset of ICUAW and degree of compliance guidelines for EN.

RESULTS

319 patients were studied from 69 ICUs in our country. The incidence of ICUAW was 153/222 (68.9%; 95% CI [62.5%-74.7%]). Patients without ICUAW showed higher levels of active mobility (p = 0.018). The logistic regression analysis showed no effect on energy or protein intake on the onset of ICUAW. Overfeeding was observed on a significant proportion of patient-days, while more overfeeding (as per US guidelines) was found among patients with obesity than those without (42.9% vs 12.5%; p<0.001). Protein intake was deficient (as per US/European guidelines) during ICU days 3-7.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of ICUAW was high in this patient cohort. Early mobility was associated with a lower incidence of ICUAW. Significant overfeeding and deficient protein intake were observed. However, energy and protein intake alone were insufficient to explain ICUAW onset.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Low mobility, high incidence of ICUAW and low protein intake suggest the need to train, update and involve ICU professionals in nutritional care and the need for early mobilization of ICU patients.

Effect of a Personalized Enteral Nutrition Protocol on the Postoperative Nutritional Status in Patients Who Underwent Oral Cancer Surgery

Differences in the implementation of the perioperative nutrition guidelines and pathways by caregivers lead to differences in enteral nutrition provided to the patients. This study investigated the effect of a personalized enteral nutrition protocol on the postoperative nutritional status of patients who underwent oral cancer surgery at Zhejiang Ningbo NO. 2 Hospital. Those who underwent surgery between July 2017 and October 2018 received routine enteral nutrition based on the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (routine group), while those between November 2018 and August 2021 received personalized enteral nutrition based on the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment tool (personalized group). Seventy patients completed the study (routine group, n = 34; personalized group, n = 36). After surgery, the personalized group exhibited significantly greater improvements in serum albumin levels (P < 0.01) (on the 7th and 10th day) and hand grip strength (P < 0.01), higher self-care ability (P < 0.01), lower incidence of gastrointestinal reactions during enteral feeding (P < 0.05), and shorter hospital stay (P < 0.05) than the routine group. Therefore, a personalized enteral nutrition program might improve the postoperative nutritional status, shorten the hospital stay, and accelerate postoperative recovery in patients who underwent oral cancer surgery.

Systematic review of clinicians' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about nutrition in intensive care

Nutrition is a key component of care for critically ill patients; yet nutrition delivery is below international recommendations. In order to improve nutrition delivery to critically ill patients, an understanding of the barriers that prevent guideline adherence is required. It is known that clinicians' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of the role of nutrition may act as a potential barrier to nutrition delivery, but whether this remains true in critical care is unknown. The aim of this systematic scoping review was to summarize the literature exploring the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of clinicians around nutrition support in critically ill patients. A search of four online databases (MEDLINE via Ovid, Emcare via Ovid, PsycINFO, and CINAHL via EBSCOhost) was conducted on August 14, 2020, to identify literature that reported on clinicians' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of nutrition in adult intensive care patients. Data were extracted on study and participant characteristics, methodology, and key study outcomes related to nutrition. Eighteen articles met eligibility criteria and were included in the review. Key findings included the following: nutrition was seen as a priority that ranked below life-saving interventions; differences in perceived clinician responsibilities exist; common barriers to nutrition delivery included inadequate resourcing, lack of nutrition protocols, and gastrointestinal intolerance; and identified facilitators included nutrition education and the presence of a supportive multidisciplinary team. The implementation of nutrition protocols, enhanced clinical nutrition education, and further clarification of roles and responsibilities pertaining to nutrition may assist in improving nutrition delivery in critical care.

Risks in Management of Enteral Nutrition in Intensive Care Units: A Literature Review and Narrative Synthesis

Critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) have a high risk of developing malnutrition, and this is associated with poorer clinical outcomes. In clinical practice, nutrition, including enteral nutrition (EN), is often not prioritized. Resulting from this, risks and safety issues for patients and healthcare professionals can emerge. The aim of this literature review, inspired by the Rapid Review Guidebook by Dobbins, 2017, was to identify risks and safety issues for patient safety in the management of EN in critically ill patients in the ICU. Three databases were used to identify studies between 2009 and 2020. We assessed 3495 studies for eligibility and included 62 in our narrative synthesis. Several risks and problems were identified: No use of clinical assessment or screening nutrition assessment, inadequate tube management, missing energy target, missing a nutritionist, bad hygiene and handling, wrong time management and speed, nutritional interruptions, wrong body position, gastrointestinal complication and infections, missing or not using guidelines, understaffing, and lack of education. Raising awareness of these risks is a central aspect in patient safety in ICU. Clinical experts can use a checklist with 12 identified top risks and the recommendations drawn up to carry out their own risk analysis in clinical practice.

Failure to achieve proteic goals in non-critical patients increases risk for death: Old discussion, ongoing problem

OBJECTIVES

Providing adequate nutritional support for hospitalized patients continues to be a challenge. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of energy and protein provision with in-hospital mortality in non-critically ill patients.

METHODS

A retrospective study (2014-2016) was performed with all patients >18 y of age who were admitted to medical and surgical clinic wards and given exclusive enteral therapy. The mean of energy and protein was estimated per day and per kilogram of body mass from the enteral prescription data, over the entire period of hospitalization. A prescription mean was considered hypocaloric or hypoproteic at <20 kcal · kg · d^-1 or <0.8 g · kg · d^-1, respectively.

RESULTS

Of the 240 patients, 58.3% were >60 y of age and 60% were men. The frequencies of in-hospital mortality (19.2%) and malnutrition (78.8%) were high. The means of protein (0.75 g· kg· d^-1) and energy (17.60 kcal · kg · d^-1) were below the general recommendations and 37.8% did not reach a mean of 20 kcal · kg · d^-1 during the entire hospitalization period. Hypocaloric (hazard ratio [HR], 5.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.59-21.04) and hypoproteic nutrition (HR, 3.69; 95% CI, 1.25-10.93) were predictors of all-cause in-hospital mortality in adjusted multivariate models. However, when we adjusted the hypoprotein nutrition by energy (non-protein calories to nitrogen ratio), hypoprotein nutrition seems to maintain the increased risk for death (HR, 3.15; 95% CI, 1.04-9.53).

CONCLUSIONS

Hypoproteic nutrition appears to be more significant than hypocaloric nutrition in predicting all-cause in-hospital mortality. Protocols should be implemented to ensure that target caloric and protein levels are reached as quickly as possible to optimize patient survival.