# Nutritional care competence among ICU nurses in China: a latent profile analysis

## TL;DR

This study identifies three levels of nutritional care competence among ICU nurses in China and finds factors that influence these levels.

## Contribution

The study introduces latent profile analysis to categorize and understand heterogeneity in nutritional care competence among ICU nurses in China.

## Key findings

- Nutritional care competence among ICU nurses was categorized into low, medium, and high groups.
- Factors like training and job satisfaction influence the competence levels.
- Targeted interventions are recommended based on the identified subgroups.

## Abstract

Nutritional care is essential in the treatment of critical patients, and the nutritional care competence among ICU nurses is a crucial skill in clinical practice of nutritional care for critically ill patients. Although previous studies have investigated the nutritional care competence of nursing staff, the investigation and heterogeneity analysis of nutritional care competence among ICU nurses in China are lacking.

To investigate the current status of nutritional care competence among ICU nurses through latent profile analysis, identify potential subgroups and their population characteristics, and explore the factors that influence the potential subgroups.

A cross-sectional and multi-center study of 561 ICU nurses in Anhui province was selected by convenience sampling method and surveyed with general information questionnaire and nutritional care competence scale for clinical nurses. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to identify potential subgroups among the nurses based on their competence in nutritional care. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the factors associated with membership in different latent profiles.

The nutritional care competence among ICU nurses in Anhui Province was at an intermediate level and was categorized into three potential groups through latent profile analysis: low nutritional care competence group (31.73%), medium nutritional care competence group (48.84%), and high nutritional care competence group (19.43%). The results of logistic regression analyses showed that number of night shifts per month, job satisfaction, received regular nutritional care supervision, attended nutrition-related training, and received nutrition course education were the influencing factors of potential categories among ICU nurses’ nutritional care competence (P < 0.05).

The nutritional care competence categorical characteristics among ICU nurses exhibit individual heterogeneity and could be categorized into three potential profiles. Nursing administrators should promptly identify and carry out targeted interventions according to the characteristics of nurses in different profiles to improve the overall quality of nutritional care.