Tag: Patient care

According to StatPearls, proper screening for contraindications is a critical step in ensuring the safety of patients receiving enteral nutrition. While tube feeding can be a life-sustaining therapy, certain medical conditions and ethical considerations can make it risky or inappropriate.

With proven benefits over parenteral nutrition, enteral feeding is the preferred method for many patients who cannot eat orally. A key route for this is the orogastric tube (OGT), making OGT enteral feeding a common and effective medical practice.

According to a 2023 study published by the National Institutes of Health, malnutrition significantly increases a patient's risk of complications and hospital readmission. This underscores the essential role of a dietitian in the interdisciplinary team, providing expert nutritional care to improve patient outcomes and overall well-being.

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the suggested ratio in acute care settings is one Registered Dietitian (RD) per 65-75 patients for medical nutrition therapy, but this metric only begins to address the complex question of what is the ratio of dieticians to patients, as factors like patient acuity and setting cause significant variation.

Following an operation, your body requires more protein, calories, vitamins, and fluids to fuel the extensive healing process. Understanding what is considered light food after surgery is essential for providing your body with the gentle yet nourishing fuel it needs for a safe and effective recovery.

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Nutrition Care Process is a standardized approach for providing high-quality nutrition care, and a key step within this framework includes the two phases of nutrition intervention: planning and implementation. These two sequential steps are essential for translating a nutrition diagnosis into a concrete and effective course of action tailored to a patient's specific needs.

While a typical bolus tube feeding might take around 20 to 30 minutes, the overall time commitment for tube feeding depends heavily on the specific method used, the patient's individual needs, and how they tolerate the feeds. Understanding these variables is crucial for managing care effectively.

Multiple studies have identified Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) as an independent risk factor for central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). These infections are the primary risk associated with total parenteral nutrition (TPN) administration due to the constant presence of an access port for delivering the nutrient-rich solution directly into the bloodstream. Patient safety protocols focus heavily on mitigating this significant risk.

The timeline for gaining weight with a feeding tube varies depending on many factors, but positive changes can often be seen within weeks. Weight gain goals should be discussed with a registered dietitian.

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, using a structured approach like the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) leads to more effective and consistent patient care. A nutrition care plan is the roadmap for this process, detailing an individual's nutritional needs and how to address them through assessment, diagnosis, intervention, and monitoring.