To maintain adequate nutrition for a patient with a 40% TBSA burn injury, what action should the nurse take?

A patient with a 40% total body surface area (TBSA) burn injury has significantly increased metabolic needs due to the extensive bodily damage and the physiological response to trauma. In such cases, it is crucial to provide adequate nutrition to support healing, prevent infection, and maintain organ function.

Using a feeding tube to initiate enteral feedings is a preferred method in burn cases with a large TBSA involvement. Enteral nutrition is beneficial because it stimulates the gastrointestinal tract, reduces the risk of gut atrophy, and helps maintain the integrity of the gut mucosa. Additionally, enteral feeding is generally safer and more effective in managing nutrition compared to total parenteral nutrition, as it can also help with the absorption of nutrients more naturally.

The other choices, while related to nutrition management, do not satisfy the comprehensive needs for a burn patient as effectively as enteral feeding. Options such as total parenteral nutrition may be considered in situations where enteral feeding is not feasible, but it carries risks like infections and metabolic complications. Encouraging an oral intake of 5000 kcal may not be practical for a patient with significant burns due to increased metabolic demands, while administering vitamins and minerals via an IV solution does not address the broader need for caloric