[Project to attain the ideal caloric intake level in critical patients within a 72-hour period]

Early enteral nutrition and receiving more than 70% of the ideal caloric intake level has been shown to reduce patient infection rates, duration of hospital stays, and mortality. Only 40.6% of patients in our surgical intensive care unit were achieving the ideal caloric intake level.

This project was designed to raise the ratio of those achieving an ideal caloric intake level from 40.6% to 70%.

Strategies included: (1) providing education related to nutrition, (2) establishing an enteral nutrition flowchart and popularizing and carrying out the enteral nutrition flowchart, (3) discussing together with doctors and nutritionists about feeding conditions, and (4) revising standard procedures for the NG feeding of critical patients.

Seventy percent of patients in the surgical intensive care unit achieved their ideal caloric intake level after implementation of this intervention.

This project used interdisciplinary cooperation to improve caloric intake among patients in the surgical intensive care unit. The intervention and results may be used as a reference by hospitals for improving patient caloric intake and hospital quality of care.