Meeting the nutritional needs of the bariatric patient in acute care.

Meeting the nutritional needs of the bariatric (severely obese) patient in acute and critical care can be a challenge. Assessment of metabolic needs and energy expenditure is imperative to calculate nutritional needs. Achieving adequate nutrition is a result of multidisciplinary team collaboration, with the nurse providing important data for the dietitian to calculate needs. This article reviews aspects of nutritional support of the bariatric patient including assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation.