Ethical Guidelines for Nutritional Management of Stroke

The adherence to key ethical principles in providing nutritional management in stroke patients is essential to ensure high-quality patient-centred care. Respect for autonomy is an important aspect especially in necessitating informed consent, addressing concerns, and involving patients in shared decision-making regarding nutritional interventions in consideration of patients’ values and preferences. Beneficence principal require healthcare providers to promote well-being through comprehensive nutritional assessments, evidence-based individualised nutritional management, judicious selection feeding routes, continuous monitoring avoiding harms, and management of any occurrence of complications. The importance of non-maleficence avoiding harm through prevention of under or overfeeding, early identification and management of complications and diligent management of feeding tubes to avoid complications. Justice is important in advocating for equal access and opportunities to nutritional screening, support resources, feeding assistance and supplementation, irrespective of socioeconomic status. Advocating these ethical doctrine of respect for autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice, healthcare provider and team can deliver ethical, high-quality nutritional management that optimizes outcomes while preserving patient dignity, well-being, and equitable access to care for all stroke patients.