CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS’ FEEDING PRACTICES AMONG NURSES WORKING IN SELECTED HOSPITALS IN KISUMU COUNTY OF KENYA

Abstract

Feeding practices for critically ill patients influences their clinical outcomes. Among other modes of feeding Enteral (EN) is preferred. Variations in Feeding practices have been reported in various studies but not from the current setting.  The study aimed at evaluating feeding practices among nurses who take care of critically ill patients in level IV hospitals in Kisumu County of Kenya. The study was a descriptive, cross-sectional study that was conducted in both public and private hospitals within the western region of Kenya. Study participants n=135 were nurses randomly drawn from medical surgical units from the four facilities purposefully selected.  Data was collected using a structured questionnaire and an observation checklist. Ethical approval was sought from relevant authorities. A pre-test was conducted in a different hospital to test the instruments for validity and reliability. Data analysis was done using statistical package for social sciences version 24. The significance of the differences in proportions was determined by the chi square statistic at p≤0.05. There was a significant difference in the mean ages of the nurses and most nurses reported using preservice training knowledge to inform their practice. The frequency of checking the Gastric Residual Volume was significantly different among the nurses across the hospitals. It was concluded that the feeding practices among nurses may not be upto date and we recommended continuous medical education to keep nurses informed of the current guidelines to promote good clinical outcomes.