Improving enteral feeding in the ICU

What is it about?

Optimum nutrition provided to intensive care patients is associated with improved health outcomes; reduced mortality and morbidity. Research has shown several barriers in the delivery of enteral nutrition which reduces caloric provision and the provision of macro and micro nutrients. We describe a practice change initiative adopted in the intensive care unit which improved the delivery of EN to critically ill adult patients.

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Why is it important?

Much has been written and researched around the benefits of optimum nutrition in the Intensive Care Unit. However delivering adequate volume of EN (enteral nutrition) to critically ill patients is commonly described as problematic in practice and through the literature. We describe an initiative that was successful in improving the delivery of EN in our unit and may be of use to other critical care practitioners.