Full Text Available

Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.

The nutritional management of adult burn wound patients in South Africa

Thesis (MNutr (Human Nutrition))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Ellmer, Marlene
Other Authors: Blaauw, Renee
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch 2008
Subjects:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1867614039594500096
access_status_str Open Access
author Ellmer, Marlene
author2 Blaauw, Renee
author_browse Blaauw, Renee
Ellmer, Marlene
author_facet Blaauw, Renee
Ellmer, Marlene
author_sort Ellmer, Marlene
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv University of Stellenbosch
description Thesis (MNutr (Human Nutrition))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/2755
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:45:41.741Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2008
publishDateRange 2008
publishDateSort 2008
publisher Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
publisherStr Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/2755 The nutritional management of adult burn wound patients in South Africa Ellmer, Marlene Blaauw, Renee Van der Merwe, Sulene University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Health Sciences. Dept. of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Human Nutrition. Dissertations -- Nutrition Theses -- Nutrition Burns and scalds -- Patients -- Nutrition Burns and scalds -- Treatment -- Nutritional aspects Thesis (MNutr (Human Nutrition))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to determine the nutritional practices used in burns units in South Africa and to compare them with the latest available literature in order to make appropriate recommendations for possible implementation. METHODS: Validated questionnaires were sent out to surgeons, dietitians and professional nurses working in burns units that complied with the inclusion criteria. Information on the units was obtained from an advertisement placed via email through ADSA. Non-random sampling was done and all the burns units were included in the study. Descriptive cross-sectional statistics were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Twelve burns units were identified. Ten of the burns units’ health professionals (surgeons, dietitians and professional nurses) participated in the study. All the health professionals had experience in burned patients’ management judging by the average number of year’s experience. The average number of adult burned patients treated was 188 (58-350) and the mortality per year was 16% [Standard Deviation (SD) 6.4%] About half of the professionals indicated they used a protocol for the implementation of nutrition support. A degree of miscommunication was noted between the health professionals working in the units. Very few units (n=2) were able to perform wound excisions within 72 hours post-burn. All the dietitians used predictive equations when estimating energy requirements and the most popular formula remained the Curreri formula. Various different predictive equations were used. Even though most institutions indicated that micronutrient supplementation was routine practice, no standard regimen existed and supplementation varied significantly between units. The oral route, enteral route or a combination were used to feed patients with different degrees of burns, and the majority (60%) of the health professionals stated that they waited until oral diets were tolerated before enteral nutrition was stopped. The nasogastric enteral route remained the most popular route. Very few units used other feeding routes, and they would rather opt for TPN if nasogastric feeding should fail. The estimated nutritional requirements were met in 90% of patients in whom the feeding tube was successfully placed. From the results it appeared that dietitians were less confident regarding the use of immunonutrition in burned patients, in spite of the available literature. Anabolic agents were not very commonly used in South Africa, probably due to the high cost. Patients were not followed-up regularly by dietitians. CONCLUSION The results of this study indicated that despite the use of correct recommendations in certain instances there remained a definite degree of variation and uncertainty amongst health professionals. There also appeared to be poor communication between health professionals. The burns units in South Africa should use set standards for nutritional managements, obtain and implement strict feeding protocols and improve communication amongst the health professionals. 2008-03-26T10:51:16Z 2010-06-01T08:57:31Z 2008-03-26T10:51:16Z 2010-06-01T08:57:31Z 2007-12 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/2755 en University of Stellenbosch 1057920 bytes application/pdf application/pdf Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
spellingShingle Dissertations -- Nutrition
Theses -- Nutrition
Burns and scalds -- Patients -- Nutrition
Burns and scalds -- Treatment -- Nutritional aspects
Ellmer, Marlene
The nutritional management of adult burn wound patients in South Africa
title The nutritional management of adult burn wound patients in South Africa
title_full The nutritional management of adult burn wound patients in South Africa
title_fullStr The nutritional management of adult burn wound patients in South Africa
title_full_unstemmed The nutritional management of adult burn wound patients in South Africa
title_short The nutritional management of adult burn wound patients in South Africa
title_sort nutritional management of adult burn wound patients in south africa
topic Dissertations -- Nutrition
Theses -- Nutrition
Burns and scalds -- Patients -- Nutrition
Burns and scalds -- Treatment -- Nutritional aspects
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/2755
work_keys_str_mv AT ellmermarlene thenutritionalmanagementofadultburnwoundpatientsinsouthafrica
AT ellmermarlene nutritionalmanagementofadultburnwoundpatientsinsouthafrica