Implementation of a best-practice guideline: Early enteral nutrition in a neuroscience intensive care unit

Current evidence suggests that early enteral nutrition is a best practice and leads to improved clinical outcomes. An evidence-based practice project was implemented in a busy neurointensive care unit in a midwestern tertiary care facility that was designed to improve care by implementing the early nutrition portion of Guidelines for the Provision and Assessment of Nutrition Support Therapy in the Adult Critically Ill Patient: Society of Critical Care Medicine and the American Society for Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition. The Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario's (RNAO) Toolkit: Implementation of Best Practice Guidelines (BPGs) was selected and followed to guide implementation and achieve optimal results. During a 90-day implementation period, this project resulted in a 100% improvement in early nutrition. Interventions included the use of a series of cards that reminded the team to order enteral nutrition and prepacked bundles of nasogastric tube supplies. The RNAO toolkit served as a structured and effective step-by-step methodology for the implementation of a BPG.