Your patient is post-op day 2 and previously experienced a stroke. Is he appropriate for enteral nutrition?

The appropriateness of enteral nutrition for a patient who is two days postoperative, particularly following a stroke, hinges on the patient’s ability to tolerate such nutrition. Enteral nutrition is often indicated when a patient has a functional gastrointestinal tract but is unable to consume adequate nutrition orally due to medical issues such as neurological impairments from a stroke.

In this specific case, if the patient can tolerate enteral nutrition (which can include factors such as being awake and having the ability to digest), then initiating enteral nutrition can help in providing the necessary caloric and nutritional support vital for recovery. Patients recovering from a stroke may have varying levels of consciousness and swallowing ability, but if they can safely receive enteral nutrition, it is beneficial in preventing malnutrition and supporting healing.

The other options do not align with the principles of providing nutrition in a clinical context. Stability is a relative term and does not solely determine the ability to start enteral nutrition. The timeline of five days is arbitrary and does not reflect individual patient needs or progression. Additionally, being fully awake is not a requirement if there are mechanisms in place to deliver nutrition safely, such as through a feeding tube. The emphasis is on whether the patient can tolerate the nutrition safely rather than only on their level of