Quality indicators in enteral therapy: application and proposition of new indicators

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the quality of Enteral Nutritional Therapy (ENT) prescribed to patients admitted to a public hospital and propose new indicators. Method: This is a descriptive, observational and prospective study whose population consisted of all adult patients (≥ 18 years) using exclusive enteral nutritional therapy hospitalized in critical and non-critical areas in a public hospital in Sergipe. The indicators of quality in enteral nutritional therapy were applied according to the published by the International Life Sciences Institute-Brazil, in addition to the proposal of new indicators. Results: Among the indicators evaluated in the semester, those that were farther from the goal were: diarrhea frequency (54.3%), frequency of measurement or estimation of energy expenditure and protein requirements (22.9%) and frequency of patients with hypoglycemia (34.3%). The use of quality indicators is of fundamental importance to assess adverse events related to ENT. Conclusion: It is necessary to apply the new indicators proposed in this study in the practice of evaluating the quality of ENT to accumulate experience and define its goals.