Via practica 5/2021

Clinical nutrition in Slovakia

Clinical nutrition is a significant part of health care for the patients suffering from food intake problem and they need a modified approach and composition of nutrition. In year 2014, it was allowed that also general practitioners can independently, under precise conditions to manage enteral clinical nutrition, thereby ensuring a better availability of enteral nutrition for the indicated group of patients in general practitioners. On the other hand, in Slovakia, even before 30 years ago, the Slovak Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition was established by a group of enthusiasts, aimed at accepting the enteral and parenteral nutrition from the perspective of the 21st century knowledge, still absent the comprehensive and conceptual solution of clinical nutrition as a separate medical field. Unlike surrounding countries in Slovakia lack the separate doctor’s education in field of clinical nutrition, which is also the result of the lack of qualified health professionals and thus the lack of implementation of clinical nutrition in everyday practice in providing healthcare.

Keywords: clinical nutrition, enteral nutrition, parenteral nutrition, prescription of enteral nutrition