Implementation of a Nutrition Protocol to Standardize Nutrition Therapy for a Team of Medical Specialists Working in the ICU

Abstract

Implementing a nutrition protocol for a team of medical specialists working in the ICU to define the indications, goals, and methods to evaluate the efficacy of enteral and parenteral nutrition has been demonstrated to improve patient outcome. In the ICU of Chiba University Hospital, a group of specialists including doctors, nurses, dieticians, physiotherapists, and biomedical engineers have gathered to form a nutrition team. The team is in charge of updating and disseminating the nutrition protocol, and implementing tools such as the nutrition evaluation form, nutrition rounds, and enteral nutrition algorithm for nurses, to ensure adherence to the protocol. These efforts have contributed to achieving early start and fulfillment of nutrition in the ICU patients. The team approach has contributed to reducing nutrition related incidents and accidents by promoting close communication between the specialists to provide safe and adequate nutrition to patients of various backgrounds and pathologies.