Quality indicator in nutritional therapy in oncology and the interface with nursing: integrative review

Abstract

Objective To analyze the evidence of the Indicator of Quality in Nutritional Therapy “prescribed versus infused volume in nutritional therapy” in hospitalized adult cancer patients and the prospects for nursing practice. Methods An integrative review conducted in the Portal Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde, Nursing Database, Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature, Excerpta Medica dataBASE, Google Scholar, Latin America and the Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences, U.S. National Library of Medicine, SciVerse Scopus Web of Science. This research included studies published in Portuguese, English, or Spanish from 2008 to 2021. Results Of the nine studies included most of the authors were nutritionists and/or nutrition academics (53.8%), followed by nurses and/or nursing academics (30.8%). Most studies (67%) did not reach the indicator target, being investigated in clinical and/or surgical wards (27.3%) and adult/general Intensive Care Units (27.3%). The reasons for not meeting the indicator goal were related to clinical and mechanical complications of the use of nutritional therapy. Conclusion The goal of the indicator in “nutritional therapy prescribed versus infused volume” was not achieved in most studies, and the adult cancer patient presents clinical difficulties in achieving it.