Background The clinical pharmacist’s main functions in parenteral nutrition (PN) are to ensure the appropriate assessment and monitoring of nutritional support according to the type of illness and the patient’s condition and to verify the quality and safety of the solutions prepared.

Purpose To describe the pharmaceutical interventions (PIs) made in patients hospitalised in a postsurgical intensive care unit.

To find the degree of acceptance of the PIs and their relevance to patient care.

Material and methods Retrospective six-month study (January–June 2014).

All PIs were recorded in each patient’s electronic medical record and in a special data sheet which included the indication for PN, laboratory data, type of nutrition, type of intervention and acceptance.

Results Nutritional monitoring was performed in 40 patients. 442 PIs were carried out during the study period, with a mean of 11 PIs/patient.

The PIs were categorised as the following:

Nutrition assessment (n = 158; 36%)

Intravenous fluids needs (n = 26; 6%)

Electrolyte imbalances (n = 136; 30%)

Prevention of liver disease caused by PN (n = 34; 8%)

Others (food allergies, glucose management, laboratory monitoring, administration of glutamine and omega 3 fatty acids) (n = 88; 20%)

The overall degree of acceptance of the interventions was 99%.

Conclusion The high number and variety of types of PI performed by the pharmacist contributed to improving nutritional support and reducing complications, ensuring a more effective and safer use of PN.

References and/or Acknowledgements

1. ESPEN Guidelines for adult parenteral nutrition

2. Clin Nutr 2009;28:359–479

References and/or AcknowledgementsNo conflict of interest.