Assignment task: Discuss the uses of artificial nutrition for patients by answering the discussion prompts to complete your initial discussion post. After creating your initial post, respond to at least two of your peers in a substantive manner.
Discussion Prompts:
You are a nurse in an Intensive Care Unit. Your patient, Mr. Brown, has been on a vent for about 71 hours. He is receiving IV fluids but no other nutrition (by IV or mouth).
1. Describe why would it be important to keep the interdisciplinary team updated with the following:
- Number of days on a vent
- amount of fluids via 0.9NaCl (NS) in a 24-hour period, and
- the amount of time he has been NPO ("nil per os", nothing by mouth).
2. Summarize the guidelines for nutrition intervention in ventilated patients. Cite one resource.
3. How would you explain to the family what is happening with the patient's nutritional and fluid status when they ask, "How is Mr. Brown receiving nutrition? The man loved to eat!".