title: Intensive care nurses' knowledge of enteral nutrition: A descriptive questionnaire.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nurses have an important role in the delivery and management of enteral nutrition in critically ill patients, to prevent iatrogenic malnutrition. It is not clear how nurses source enteral nutrition information.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to explore Australian nurses' enteral nutrition knowledge and sources of information.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from members of the Australian College of Critical Care Nurses in May 2014 using an online questionnaire. A combination of descriptive statistics and non-parametric analyses were undertaken to evaluate quantitative data. Content analysis was used to evaluate qualitative data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  359 responses were included in data analysis. All respondents were Registered Nurses with experience working in an Australian intensive care unit or high dependency unit. Most respondents reported their enteral nutrition knowledge was good (n=205, 60.1%) or excellent (n=35, 10.3%), but many lacked knowledge regarding the effect of malnutrition on patient outcomes. Dietitians and hospital protocols were the most valuable sources of enteral nutrition information, but were not consistently utilised.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant knowledge deficits in relation to enteral nutrition were identified. Dietitians were the preferred source of nurses' enteral nutrition information, however their limited availability impacted their efficacy as an information resource. Educational opportunities for nurses need to be improved to enable appropriate nutritional care in critically ill patients.
authors.affiliation: Monash University, Nursing & Midwifery, PO Box 527, Frankston, VIC 3199, Australia. Electronic address: Julia.morphet@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morphet
authors.affiliation: Monash University, Nursing & Midwifery, PO Box 527, Frankston, VIC 3199, Australia; Peninsula Health, Intensive Care Unit, PO Box 52, Frankston, VIC 3199, Australia. Electronic address: AClarke@phcn.vic.gov.au.
authors.forename: Angelique B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.affiliation: Deakin University, Nursing & Midwifery, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia. Electronic address: m.bloomer@deakin.edu.au.
authors.forename: Melissa J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bloomer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D064648:Critical Care Nursing / Q000592:standards; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: Critical care; Enteral nutrition; Knowledge; Nursing; Resources