An evaluation of intensive care nurses' performance of Indirect Calorimetry measurements

Indirect calorimetry (IC) is the gold standard to monitor energy expenditure in critically ill patients. In several intensive care units (ICUs), nurses are responsible for carrying out the measurements. The aim of this study was to assess nurses' perception of their involvement in IC.

This was a prospective survey conducted in the surgical ICU of a French university hospital after 18 months of use of the COSMED Q-NRG+  calorimeter. All nurses who have used the calorimeter in the previous 6 months in this ICU were questioned through a questionnaire about their theoretical and practical knowledge and experience in using it.

Nurses quickly felt comfortable with COSMED Q-NRG+ in this ICU. All the users thought it was pertinent that ICU nurses were in charge of the IC measurements, 70% of them reported having been formally trained, mostly by a colleague.

Formal initial and ongoing training of all staff completing Indirect Calorimetry is essential to perform measurements safely and to obtain reliable and interpretable results in practice. Involving the nursing team in nutritional care, even if it is technical, seems to bring satisfaction in terms of overall patient care.