Nutrition Support for Adults: Oral Nutrition Support, Enteral Tube Feeding and Parenteral Nutrition

Excerpt

These guidelines cover most aspects of nutrition support in adult patients (>18 years) who are either malnourished or are at ‘risk’ of malnutrition. In some cases specific guidance related to patients in specific care settings or with specific diseases has been provided but in general the guidance is applicable to patients whatever their setting (hospital or community) or disease. The guideline therefore includes: information on the prevalence of malnutrition and the benefits of good nutrition; guidance on the appropriate forums for the organisation of nutrition support in all settings; guidance on who should be screened for malnutrition and when, along with the criteria for consideration when assessing patients’ nutritional status; the general indications for nutrition support together with ethical and legal considerations that may arise; guidance on the process and special considerations required to prescribe nutrition support and details information on the important parameters to monitor for patients receiving nutrition support; detailed guidance on the administration of oral, enteral and parenteral nutrition including; the appropriate types of access for enteral and parenteral nutrition and the optimum mode of delivering these; specific guidance on the management of providing nutrition support to patients with dysphagia; issues to consider for patients receiving enteral and parenteral nutrition support in the community; issues arising for patients and their carers.