Design of assessment tables for enteral nutrition care giving during nursing research in children with severe burns

Objective: To investigate the effect of evaluation tables used in nursing work for control of enteral nutrition in children with severe burns. Methods: The enteral nutrition nursing assessment tables were designed for children who suffered from severe burns. The tables included a cover page and a daily assessment record consisting of two parts. Daily assessment record content covered the date of injury, residual burned area, feeding methods, placement of tube, enteral nutrition content, intake and output, adverse reactions, previous/current nutritional evaluation indicators, etc. During the period between November 2009 and May 2015, fifty infants with burning injuries were monitored with the use of assessment tables for enteral nutrition (experimental group), while other forty-seven infants with burning injuries were monitored and treated without the use of tables (control group). The levels of total protein, pre albumin, hemoglobin, blood urea nitrogen and body mass index in enteral nutrition treatment were compared between the two groups through consulting the records of hospitalized patients and the nursing records of critically ill patients. The incidence rates of abdominal distention, diarrhea, vomiting and tube obstruction adverse reactions during the period of enteral nutrition in the two groups were analysed. The numbers of wound healing days in two groups were compared. Results: Five nutrition indicators were significantly different (P<0.01) between two groups. The frequency of abdominal distension, diarrhea, vomiting and occlusion in the experimental group was lower than in the experimental group. The duration of wound healing in the two groups showed significant difference as well (P<0.01). Conclusion: The use of enteral nutrition nursing evaluation tables during the treatment of children with burns can ensure the efficiency of enteral nutrition, reduce the incidence rate of gastrointestinal complications and tube obstructions, and promote the wounds healing.