Adequacy of enteral nutrition and factors associated among patients in neuromedical ward of Kuala Lumpur Hospital / Nor'Izzati Mohd Ridzan ... [et al.]

The presence of ineffectiveness on enteral feeding practices has often led to inadequate nutritional support among the critically ill patient. For that reason, this study would like to investigate the factors which may signify adequacy; be it from feeding method, initiation of enteral feeding, nil by mouth procedure and also toleration of enteral feeding. This study uses the retrospective study design to evaluate the factors which affect the adequacy of protein and energy in enteral feeding of Neuromedical ward, HKL. This study involves convenient sampling method which includes about 42 medical records in which patient had received enteral nutrition for the first five days of initiation. The data is collected through medical records and merely on the energy and protein adequacy, feeding method, and the tolerance of enteral feeding in which gathered within the first five days of initiation. The adequacy of both protein and energy are classified as underfeeding (less than 70%), adequate feeding (70% to 100%) and overfeeding (more than 100%). From this study, most of the sample is energy adequately fed with 83.8%, 11.9% energy overfed and 4.8% of energy inadequate fed. As for protein adequacy, 85.7% of the sample is adequately fed, 11.9 % is overfed and 2.4% is underfed. The Pearson's Chi Square analysis shows association between period of NBM procedure and protein adequacy. In conclusion, this study is crucial for the detection of malnutrition. The findings are expected to enhance the foundation for intervention design underfeeding or overfeeding to improve EN practices.