Knowledge levels and practices of intensive care nurses regarding enteral nutrition in patients receiving inotropic treatment: a descriptive, cross-sectional study

Objective This study aimed to investigate the level of knowledge of intensive care nurses about enteral nutrition of patients receiving high-dose inotropic therapy in the intensive care unit. Methods This descriptive and cross-sectional study collected data from 302 nurses working in intensive care units of a teaching and research hospital between April and July 2022. The data were collected using the Sociodemographic Information Form and the Enteral Nutrition Knowledge and Practices Questionnaire. Results In the study, it was found that nurses mostly gave correct responses to the questions about the ways of administration of enteral nutrition (99%), complications of enteral nutrition (97.7%), follow-up of complications (97.7%), and evaluation of nutritional tolerance in patients with decreased inotrope requirement (94.4%). It was seen that the least correct responses were given to the questions related to the follow-up of gastric residual volume in patients receiving inotrope therapy (34.4%) and the feeding rate until hemodynamic stability was achieved in patients with decreased inotrope requirement (39.7%). A statistically significant result found that nurses with intensive care certificates had better knowledge of enteral nutrition (p<0.01). p <0.01). Conclusion The study found that intensive care nurses' knowledge of enteral nutrition practices was at a good level. In contrast, their knowledge of the nutritional practices of patients receiving inotropic therapy should be improved.