Enteral Nutrition Guidelines Improve Critically Ill Patients' Outcomes: A Quasiexperimental Study

Optimal nutritional support is a fundamental element of treatment for critically ill patients. Adherence to evidence-based enteral nutrition guidelines is essential to promote patient care and prevent potential complications.

To assess the effectiveness of enteral nutrition guidelines in improving critically ill patients' outcomes.

A quasiexperimental study evaluated 68 critically ill patients divided into 2 groups. The intervention group received their nutrition based on the evidence-based enteral nutrition guidelines, while the control group received their nutrition based on the unit's routine care. The study was conducted in the surgical intensive care units of Mansoura Emergency Hospital in Egypt. Data were collected using the critically ill patients' assessment tool and the enteral nutrition complications evaluation tool. The main measured outcomes included nutritional complications, mechanical ventilation duration, and length of stay in the intensive care units.

There were statistically significant differences in the occurrence of nutritional complications. Vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal distension, and gastric residual volume decreased in the intervention group versus the control group (P≤.05). A notable reduction was observed in the duration of mechanical ventilation and the length of stay in the intensive care unit for the intervention group (P≤.05).

Implementing enteral nutrition guidelines for critically ill patients can significantly improve their clinical outcomes through reducing nutritional complications and lowering the time spent on mechanical ventilation and staying in the intensive care unit.