Special Feature

Patients in the intensive care unit setting have been nutritionally deprived for various reasons. Many patients who are critically ill cannot absorb nourishment by traditional routes. Enteral feeding should be considered for all patients who cannot meet caloric needs. There are many benefits to enteral feeding such as decreased infection, rapid wound healing, and decreased length of stay and mortality. Many critical care nurses subscribe to myths for not feeding their patients. The myths for not feeding critically ill patients involve gut motility, feeding residuals, and patient positioning. There is significant evidence both to support nutrition as integral to recovery from a critical illness and to suggest that enteral feeding is efficient and effective at providing nutrition.