Development of a multidisciplinary cooperative nutrition management process for critically ill patients-a Delphi...

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Clinical Nutrition
• Health Management

Background:

• Critically ill patients in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) require specialized nutritional support.
• Standardized nutrition management processes are crucial for improving patient outcomes and ensuring safety.
• Existing guidelines may not fully address the complexities of multidisciplinary care in the Chinese context.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a standardized, multidisciplinary cooperative nutrition management process for critically ill ICU patients in China.
• To improve the effectiveness and safety of nutritional support for this patient population.

Main Methods:

• A literature review and analysis of domestic and international guidelines informed the initial draft.
• The Delphi method was employed with 20 consulting experts across China.
• Two rounds of expert consultation were conducted to refine the proposed management process.

Main Results:

• A finalized "multidisciplinary nutrition management process for critically ill patients" and an "enteral nutrition management process for critically ill patients" were established.
• The processes encompass five key stages of care and 31 standardized criteria.
• All 31 criteria were rated as desirable or necessary by 85-100% of experts.

Conclusions:

• The developed multidisciplinary nutrition management process is scientific and standardized.
• This process shows promise as a practical tool for improving nutritional management in critically ill patients.
• The structured process can guide clinical practice and has potential for implementation in ICUs and other departments.