When you are ill it is important to get the right nutrition (energy, protein and vitamins) for your body to work well and to recover.
Whilst on critical care you will need some help with your nutrition. There are three main ways to have nutrition:
Oral nutrition; if you can eat and drink you will be offered meals and high energy drinks and snacks to allow your body to get the nutrients it needs. You will probably need more energy and protein then normal so high energy food and snacks are important. Alternative foods can be ordered if you find that you don’t like some meals on the menu. Your visitors can be helpful in bringing snacks that you enjoy and encouraging you to eat at meal times.
If you are unable to eat and drink anything, being nil by mouth (NBM) maybe because you are sleeping with a breathing tube or your swallow hasn’t recovered then you will have a small tube into your tummy, normally by going up your nose, this is called enteral tube feeding. You will receive a liquid feed via a pump, it will contain the energy, protein and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) that your body needs.
If you are eating and drinking but unable to take enough food and drink to keep you well you might also have some tube feeding. This is mostly done overnight to allow you to eat during the day and have a “top up” of nutrition overnight whilst you sleep.
Occasionally it is not possible to give nutrition by mouth or by a tube into the tummy; you would then have nutrition into a vein called parenteral nutrition. This does not go into your tummy or bowels, it will be given via a plastic tube in your neck or arm. The nutrition will be a liquid that contains energy and protein; a pump will be used to give this and is likely to be given all day. A separate liquid that is often a yellow colour will be used to give you vitamins and minerals. Sometimes you might have nutrition into your vein at the same time as eating a little bit of food or having some enteral tube feeding.
The dietitian works with the doctors and nurses to make sure that you have the nutrition that is right for you. As you recover from your illness extra nutrition will be given to help you regain your strength, energy and fight infection.
If you have different nutrition or dietary needs the nursing staff can arrange special menus from catering e.g gluten free, halal, kosher, vegan or texture modified diet. Staff can find these on Workvivo under documents in the catering folder.
If you would like to discuss your nutrition more please speak to a member of staff there is also lots of helpful information on the following website if you would like to read more.