Intensive Care Nutrition Support Algorithm (Adults) 
                                                   September 2020 
                                                                
            This document is a: Guideline Algorithm      
              
                                          Critical Care Programme (CCP) 
             
            Title of PPPG Development Group:        Intensive care nutrition support algorithm development 
                                                    group 
            Approved by:                            Critical Care Programme Lead and Critical Care Programme 
                                                    Advisory Group 
            Reference Number:                         
              
            Version Number:                          2 
              
            Publication Date:                        2020 
              
            Date for revision:                       2023 
              
            Electronic Location:                     Critical Care Programme section of HSE website 
              
                Version         Date Approved       List section numbers changed               Author 
                   2                                Totally reformatted              ICU Dietitians Group with 
                                                    All sections updated             input from CCP Advisory 
                                                                                     Group, CCP Pharmacy 
                                                                                     representative, Speech and 
                                                                                     Language Therapist liaison  
            This is a controlled document:  While this document may be printed the electronic version posted on 
            the website is the controlled copy and can only be guaranteed for 24 hours after downloading. 
                Table of Contents:                                                            Page  number             
                 
                PART A: INTENSIVE CARE NUTRITION SUPPORT ALGORITHM (ADULTS)  ..................... 4                       
                  PART B: DEVELOPMENT CYCLE ..................................................................................... 9 
                1.0  INITIATION  
                     1.1     Purpose  ..................................................................................................... 9 
                     1.2     Scope ......................................................................................................... 9 
                     1.3     Objectives .................................................................................................. 9 
                     1.4     Outcome .................................................................................................... 9 
                     1.5     Intensive Care Nutrition Support Algorithm Development Group ............... 10 
                     1.6     Intensive Care Nutrition Support Algorithm Governance Group ................. 10 
                     1.7     Supporting evidence ................................................................................... 10 
                     1.8     Glossary of terms and abbreviations .......................................................... 10 
                      
                      
                2.0  DEVELOPMENT OF THE INTENSIVE CARE NUTRITION SUPPORT ALGORITHM 
                     2.1     Key questions  ............................................................................................ 15 
                     2.2     Literature search strategy........................................................................... 15 
                     2.3     Appraising evidence ................................................................................... 15 
                     2.4     Process used to formulate algorithm .......................................................... 15 
                     2.5     Summary of evidence:  .............................................................................. 16 
                     2.5.1   Introduction                                                                     16       
                     2.5.2   Impact of an intensive care dietitian                                            17 
                     2.5.3   Nutrition screening for nutrition risk in intensive care                         17 
                     2.5.4   Assessment and requirements in intensive care                                    17 
                     2.5.5   Feeding the malnourished patient                                                 20 
                     2.5.6   Feeding the obese critically ill patient                                         23 
                     2.5.7   Nutrition support implications for patients with acute kidney injury             23 
                             on renal replacement therapy  
                     2.5.8   Enteral nutrition                                                                24 
                     2.5.9   Parenteral nutrition                                                             30 
                     2.5.10  Glycaemic control                                                                32 
                     2.5.11  Other considerations                                                             32 
                     2.5.12  Monitoring of nutrition support                                                  35 
                     2.5.13  Swallow assessment and Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) input                 37 
                     2.6     Resources to implement the Intensive Care Nutrition Support Algorithm... 38 
                     2.7     Development steps .................................................................................... 38 
                      
                      
                3.0  GOVERNANCE AND APPROVAL  
                     3.1     Governance arrangements ......................................................................... 39 
                                                                                                                            2 
              
          CCP Intensive Care Nutrition Support Algorithm        Reference Number:            Version No:  2            Approval Date:                    
              
          Revision Date: 2023 
                     3.2     Development standards                                                             39 
                     3.3     Copyright/permission  ................................................................................ 39 
                     3.4     Approval and sign-off ................................................................................. 40 
                      
                 4.0  COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION 
                      4.1    Communication and dissemination plan ..................................................... 40 
                       
                       
                5.0  IMPLEMENTATION 
                     5.1     Implementation plan and facilitators/barriers ............................................ 40 
                     5.2     Education requirements to implement the Intensive Care  ......................... 40 
                             Nutrition Support Algorithm 
                     5.3     Lead person(s) responsible for implementation  ......................................... 40 
                     5.4     Roles and responsibilities  .......................................................................... 40 
                 
                6.0  MONITORING, AUDIT AND EVALUATION 
                     6.1     Monitoring ................................................................................................. 41 
                     6.2     Audit   ....................................................................................................... 41 
                     6.3     Evaluation .................................................................................................. 41 
                              
                              
                7.0  REVISION/UPDATE 
                     7.1     Procedure for the update of the Intensive Care Nutrition Support  ............ 41 
                             Algorithm 
                     7.2     Amending the Intensive Care Nutrition Support Algorithm ......................... 41 
                              if new evidence emerges 
                     7.3     Version control update  .............................................................................. 41 
                      
                      
                8.0  REFERENCES .......................................................................................................... 42 
                 
                 
                9.0  APPENDICES .......................................................................................................... 48 
                      Appendix I  Signature Sheet ................................................................................. 49 
                      Appendix II  Membership of the Intensive Care Nutrition Support  ....................... 50 
                                    Algorithm Development Group  
                      Appendix III Declaration of interest Form  ............................................................ 51 
                      Appendix IV  Membership of the Approval Governance Group  ............................. 52 
                      Appendix V  Clinical questions in PICO format ....................................................... 53 
                      Appendix VI NUTRIC score .................................................................................... 54 
                                                                                                                             3 
              
          CCP Intensive Care Nutrition Support Algorithm        Reference Number:            Version No:  2            Approval Date:                    
              
          Revision Date: 2023 
                          PART A:      CRITICAL CARE PROGRAMME INTENSIVE CARE  
                            NUTRITION SUPPORT ALGORITHM (ADULTS): Process 1 
                                                                                            
                               Patient admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) 
           
           
                            Assess need for Nutrition Support in all patients daily 
                                     Screen all patients - see Note 1 
           
           
           
           
                                     Does patient require Nutrition 
                                         Support? See Note 1  
           
                                                                        Refer to dietitian for full nutritional 
                                                    Yes                 assessment - see Note 2 
                                                                        Follow resultant patient-specific 
                                                                        nutritional care plan 
           
           
                                    Is enteral nutrition (EN) possible? 
                             o  Is gut accessible and functioning AND 
                             o  Is gut capable of absorbing enough nutrition AND 
                             o  Is the patient haemodynamically stable? 
                          EN is recommended over PN and should be commenced if 
      No                        Consider total or supplemental parenteral nutrition 
                                   indicated within 24-48hr once stable 
                                                       
           
    Consider total PN +/- 
           
       trickle EN or 
           
     supplemental PN – 
                                                    Yes 
      See Process 2 
           
                                     Can gastric feeding commence? 
           
           
                                                    Yes 
           
           
                                      o  Place wide bore feeding tube or use existing gastric drainage 
   No                                    tube - see Note 3 
                                      o  Confirm tube position prior to feeding, daily or more often, if 
                                         any signs of tube dislodgement - see Note 3 
          Is post-pyloric 
                                      o  Commence standard enteral feeding (see local guidelines) at, 
            feeding 
                                         e.g. 10-20ml/hour -  See Note 4 
              
            possible?                 o  Aspirate NG after 4 hours for Gastric Residual Volume (GRV) 
              
              
              
   Yes        
                                                                                                4 
           
        CCP Intensive Care Nutrition Support Algorithm        Reference Number:            Version No:  2            Approval Date:                    
           
        Revision Date: 2023