Physiotherapy and Optimised Enteral Nutrition In the post-acute phase of critical illness (PHOENIX): protocol for a mixed methods feasibility randomised controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Each year in the UK, 140 000 patients are discharged from intensive care units (ICUs) to general hospital wards, almost all with complex rehabilitation needs. 84% of patients still require nutritional support and 98% are not physically independent. Despite this, many are discharged from ICU without a nutrition plan, and failure to recognise malnutrition is common. Consequently, malnutrition persists in the ward environment, leading to poor outcomes and acting as a barrier to successful physical rehabilitation. This transition from intensive care to the ward represents a key stage in the recovery journey, and a window for optimising physical independence prior to hospital discharge, decreasing the need for support in the community. However, uncertainty as to how best to

SUBMITTER: McWilliams D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11956353 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature