Researchers surveyed 420 nurses in 15 Chinese hospitals to understand how well they know about feeding tubes and nutrition care for critically ill patients. They found that while nurses have positive attitudes and try their best to help patients, many lack the knowledge they need to do this job well. The study shows that when nurses learn more about nutrition, they develop better attitudes and provide better care. The researchers recommend hospitals invest in training programs to help nurses understand feeding tube management better, which could improve patient outcomes in intensive care units.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: How much ICU nurses know about feeding tubes and nutrition support, what they think about it, and what they actually do in practice
  • Who participated: 420 nurses (80% women) from 15 hospitals across China who work in intensive care units
  • Key finding: Most nurses don’t have enough knowledge about feeding tube care, but they have positive attitudes and try hard to provide good care. When nurses get training, their knowledge improves and so does their actual patient care
  • What it means for you: If you have a loved one in an ICU, hospitals should make sure their nurses get proper training on nutrition care. This training could help your family member recover better. However, this study only looked at nurses in China, so results may differ in other countries

The Research Details

Researchers created a survey and gave it to nurses at 15 different hospitals in China between September and December 2024. The survey asked nurses about their background (age, experience, education), tested their knowledge about feeding tubes, asked about their attitudes toward nutrition care, and asked what they actually do in their daily work. They used a scoring system where higher scores meant better knowledge, more positive attitudes, or better practices. They then looked at how different factors (like being male or female, having special training, or having a leadership role) affected the scores.

Understanding what nurses know and do is important because they are the ones caring for very sick patients every day. If nurses don’t have good knowledge about nutrition, patients might not get the right feeding support, which could slow their recovery. This study helps hospitals understand where to focus training efforts.

This study surveyed a large number of nurses (420) across multiple hospitals, which makes the findings more reliable than studying just one hospital. However, the study only looked at nurses in China, so the results might not apply everywhere. The study used a self-developed survey, which means we should be careful about how much we trust the exact measurements. The researchers used advanced statistical methods to understand how knowledge, attitudes, and practices connect to each other.

What the Results Show

The survey showed that ICU nurses scored an average of 17.87 out of 46 points on knowledge questions—this is below the passing level of 80%. This means most nurses don’t have adequate knowledge about feeding tube management. However, nurses scored much better on attitudes (48.74 out of 55 points) and practices (65.39 out of 75 points), showing they care about doing a good job and try hard in their daily work. The researchers found that knowledge, attitudes, and practices are connected: when nurses know more, they have better attitudes, and when they have better attitudes, they provide better care. Female nurses were actually less likely to have adequate knowledge than male nurses, which was surprising. Nurses who attended special training lectures on nutrition were more likely to have good knowledge. Nurses in leadership positions also had better knowledge, possibly because they had more opportunities to learn.

The study found that attitude acts as a bridge between knowledge and practice. This means that even if a nurse doesn’t know everything, having a positive attitude helps them provide better care. Knowledge also directly affects practice—nurses who know more do better work, even without changing their attitude. The researchers used advanced statistical methods to show these connections are real and meaningful.

This study adds to existing research showing that healthcare worker training is important. Previous studies have shown similar patterns in other countries and with other healthcare workers—that knowledge, attitudes, and practices are connected. This study is one of the first to look specifically at feeding tube management in ICU nurses in China, filling a gap in what we know about this important topic.

The study only looked at nurses in China, so we can’t be sure the results apply to nurses in other countries with different training systems. The survey was self-reported, meaning nurses answered questions about themselves, which might not always be completely accurate. The study was done at one point in time, so we don’t know if these patterns stay the same over time. The researchers created their own survey questions, and we don’t have information about how well these questions measure what they’re supposed to measure.

The Bottom Line

Hospitals should create training programs to teach ICU nurses more about feeding tube management and nutrition support (moderate confidence). These programs should focus on practical skills and knowledge that nurses can use every day. Hospitals should especially target nurses who haven’t had recent training. Regular refresher courses may help keep knowledge current (low to moderate confidence, based on this study’s findings).

Hospital administrators and ICU managers should care about this because it shows where to invest in staff training. Nurses working in ICUs should care because better training could help them do their jobs better and feel more confident. Patients and families should care because better-trained nurses may provide better nutrition support, which could help recovery. This study is most relevant to hospitals in China and similar healthcare systems, though the general principle applies everywhere.

Improvements in nurse knowledge could happen within weeks to months after training programs start. Better patient outcomes from improved nutrition care might take longer to see—possibly weeks to months—because nutrition support is just one part of overall ICU care. Long-term benefits would likely be seen over months to years as training becomes routine.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • If you’re an ICU nurse, track your completion of nutrition training modules and quiz scores monthly. Set a goal to reach 80% or higher on knowledge assessments within 3 months.
  • Use the app to log daily nutrition-related tasks (checking feeding tube placement, monitoring nutrition goals, documenting intake) and receive reminders about best practices. Set weekly goals to apply one new piece of knowledge from training into your patient care routine.
  • Track your confidence level in handling nutrition-related situations monthly using a simple 1-10 scale. Monitor patient-related outcomes if available (like nutrition goal achievement rates) quarterly to see if your improved knowledge translates to better patient care.

This study surveyed nurses’ knowledge and practices regarding feeding tube management in Chinese hospitals. The findings suggest that nurse training programs may improve nutrition care, but this study alone cannot prove that training will definitely improve patient outcomes. If you or a loved one is in an ICU, discuss nutrition care with your healthcare team directly rather than relying on this research alone. This study does not provide medical advice and should not replace consultation with qualified healthcare professionals. Results from China may not apply to all healthcare settings worldwide.