Increasing the Volume of Delivered Enteral Feeds Using a Volume-Based Feeding Protocol in a Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit

Activity Summary

Required reading for all learners: Implicit Bias impacts patient outcomes

This article describes a quality improvement clinical practice change project that improved nutrition practice in the ICU by implementing a volume-based feeding (VBF) protocol to answer the following question: For ICU patients who require enteral feeding (EF), does the implementation of a VBF protocol, compared with rate-based feeding (RBF), increase (1) the percentage of delivered EF volume and (2) the percentage of EF days on which patients receive at least 80% of the prescribed volume? Knowing that unit culture impacts nutrition delivery, we also sought to determine whether implementing a nutrition-based project affected (1) staff awareness of the importance of nutrition and (2) the emphasis placed on nutrition delivery.

Objectives

Summarize the undesirable outcomes associated with iatrogenic malnutrition.
Differentiate a rate-based enteral feeding strategy from a volume-based feeding protocol.
Describe three strategies that lead to successful implementation of a volume-based feeding protocol in the intensive care unit.

Continuing Education Disclosure Statement

Successful Completion

Learners must complete the entire activity and the associated evaluation to be awarded contact hours AND read Implicit Bias impacts patient outcomes. No partial credit will be awarded.

Accreditation

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider number CEP 1036, for 1.00 contact hours.

Disclosure

Any relevant relationship between an ineligible company and an individual with the ability to influence clinical content will be identified by the Nurse Planner within the activity. Any relevant relationship between an ineligible company and an individual with the ability to influence clinical content has been mitigated.

Accreditation refers to recognition of continuing education only and does not imply AACN, ANCC, or CBRN approval or endorsement of any commercial products discussed or displayed in conjunction with this educational activity.

Activities with pharmacology hours are to assist the APRN in fulfilling the pharmacotherapeutic education requirements for licensure and certification renewals.

Activities meet the standards for most states that require mandatory continuing education for license and/or certification renewal. AACN recommends consulting with your own state board of nursing or credentialing organization before submitting your certificate of completion.

Refund Policy

Continuing Education Activities are nonrefundable.