Nutritional management of critically ill and hospitalised patients

Nutrition plays an important role in the management of critically ill and other hospitalised patients, such as patients undergoing routine post-operative care. However, nutrition is often overlooked as an important part of patient care. Identifying patients at risk for malnutrition, addressing malnutrition, considering medical aspects of a case that contribute to malnutrition, completing a nutritional assessment, determining how much to feed and what to feed a hospitalised patient and monitoring a patient after implementation of nutritional support are all important components of managing critical care and hospitalised patients. Creating a customised nutritional support plan is integral to supporting these dogs and cats.