Parenteral nutrition in nursing care

Parenteral nutrition is a method whereby all necessary nutritional elements are supplied to patients most often directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive tract. Parenteral nutrition, though, represent a non-physiological route for the supply of all essential elements. It is a method that benefits patients and improves their nutritional status at a time when they are unable to use their digestive tract. Nonetheless, parenteral nutrition is not the best option for patients. It involves a number of disadvantages and complications. The nurse plays a fundamental role in patient nutrition. She should thus have the necessary knowledge regarding patient nutrition. She should keep in mind that by administering parenteral nutrition she is ensuring that the patient receives an adequate caloric and nutritional intake at a time when he/she cannot use his/her digestive tract. Quantitative research with the aid of questionnaires was used to expound the bachelor degree work entitled ``Parenteral nutrition in nursing care{\crq}q. The anonymous standardized questionnaire technique was used to collect data. The questionnaires were distributed to nurses working in standard and intensive care wards in the Czech and Slovak Republics. Two goals were set. The first was to determine the degree of adherence to all the principles of preparation and administration by nurses in the Czech and Slovak Republics. The second goal was to chart the issue of parenteral nutrition in nursing care in the Czech and Slovak Republics. Five hypotheses were thus set out on the basis of these two goals, which were both met. Of these, four hypotheses were confirmed and one was disproved. The first hypothesis assessed whether nurses in the Czech Republic have greater experience with the administration of parenteral nutrition compared to nurses in the Slovak Republic. Based on the results of the questionnaire-based investigation, this hypothesis was confirmed. The second hypothesis assessed whether the nurse knows how to prepare all-in-one parenteral nutrition. Although the results of the questionnaire-based investigation were not always satisfactory, this hypothesis was confirmed. Most nurses do know how to prepare all-in-one parenteral nutrition. The third hypothesis assessed whether nurses adhere to all the principles of parenteral nutrition administration. Despite certain errors in the principles of parenteral nutrition administration, this hypothesis was confirmed. The fourth hypothesis assessed whether nurses prefer administering parenteral nutrition to administering enteral nutrition. This fourth hypothesis was also confirmed on the basis of the investigation results. The fifth hypothesis - ´a greater number of nurses appreciates the positive rather than the negative aspects when administering parenteral nutrition´ - was not confirmed. Processing of the questionnaires showed that nurses are more aware of the negative rather than the positive aspects when administering parenteral nutrition. Although most nurses often do not know what is a positive and what is a negative aspects when administering parenteral nutrition to patients. The Head Nurse of Motol Teaching Hospital has requested that we provide her with the research results. These results will also be sent to the head nurses of two teaching hospitals in the Slovak Republic. It will be possible to use the results of this research to further the quality of nursing care