Enteral nutrition can improve patient’s nutritional status, reduce the incidence of complications, and promote the patient’s rehabilitation. For patients with stroke, enteral nutrition is the first choice for nutritional support. Nurses not only participate but also play important roles in the whole process of nutrition management in stroke. Therefore, standardizing the nursing practice in enteral nutrition and developing nursing guideline in line with Chinese clinical practice is of great significance. In the guideline, 18 key clinical questions had been established via the Delphi method, and for each question, detailed recommendations had been constructed. It is expected to provide clinical standards for enteral nutrition in patients with stroke, and to improve the nutritional management and disease prognosis of stroke patients.
Patients with stroke are often in the early stage of recovery at the time of discharge, with many experiencing functional or cognitive impairments. Additionally, patients and their caregivers generally lack the knowledge and skills for disease management, leading to recurrent episodes and a high risk of readmission. This severely impacts patients' quality of life and increases the burden on families and society. A scientific and standardized discharge plan is crucial for ensuring continuity of care and improving the prognosis. Therefore, this guideline was developed by a multidisciplinary team, initiated by the Evidence-based Nursing Center with support from the Neurosurgery Branch of the Chinese Medical Association and West China Hospital, Sichuan University. Clinical questions were formulated through systematic reviews and stakeholder interviews, and key issues were identified through expert consultations. Evidence summaries and evidence quality grading were conducted based on domestic and international evidence. Finally, 21 recommendations were formed through expert consensus, covering the entire process of discharge planning for stroke patients, including assessment, preparation, implementation, and follow-up. This guideline aims to provide scientific, standardized, and actionable guidance for clinical practice, promote the standardized implementation of discharge planning, enhance continuity of care, reduce readmission rates, and improve patient prognosis and quality of life.