Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition: An Integrative Literature Review on Nutrition in Pediatric Recipients of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

This article provides a summary of an integrative review on the efficacy of enteral nutrition (EN) and parenteral nutrition (PN) for meeting the nutrition and energy needs of pediatric patients following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). In addition, recommendations for clinical practice and research on nutrition supplementation for pediatric patients post-HSCT are included.

AT A GLANCE

• Nurses can educate healthcare providers on the benefits of EN for pediatric patients, as well as recommend the appropriate use of PN when EN is an insufficient or unfeasible option.
• Oral intake should be considered first-line therapy for treating nutritional deficiencies in pediatric patients.
• Additional research is needed to support the development of clinical practice guidelines for the use of EN or PN following HSCT in the pediatric patient population.