Prevention and management of enteral nutrition-related diarrhea among adult inpatients: a best practice implementation project

Abstract

Introduction: Diarrhea, the most common complication for patients during enteral nutrition, poses a range of risks and care burdens. Medical staff are aware of the importance of proactively preventing and managing enteral nutrition-related diarrhea. However, clinical prevention and management methods are not standardized, and the scientific basis and effectiveness of these methods need to be further verified. Objectives: This project aimed to promote evidence-based practices for the prevention and management of enteral nutrition-related diarrhea among adult inpatients in a public tertiary hospital in China. Methods: This project was guided by the JBI Evidence Implementation Framework and used the JBI Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System (PACES) and the JBI Getting Research into Practice (GRiP) tools. Twelve audit criteria were developed to conduct a baseline audit to measure compliance with best practices. A barrier analysis was conducted, and strategies were implemented to overcome the barriers. The project was finalized with a followup audit to determine any changes in compliance with best practices. Results: The overall compliance rate for the audit criteria increased from 27.37% at baseline to 89.62% in the follow-up audit, with six criteria achieving a compliance rate of 100%. Conclusions: The implementation of evidence-based practices can effectively narrow the gap between current practice and best practice. This project improved the ability of medical staff to prevent and manage enteral nutrition-related diarrhea, as well as promoting evidence-based practice in the hospital.