The Clinical Practice Library houses all of ASPEN's important resources. These are available by linking directly to ASPEN journals where they are published.
This collection of resources have been developed by volunteer ASPEN leaders and content experts and approved by the ASPEN Board of Directors. These documents include clinical guidelines, standards, consensus recommendations, position papers, shortage management recommendations and, special reports.
Clinical Guidelines
Clinical Guidelines are systematically developed statements to assist practitioner and patient decisions about appropriate nutrition care for specific clinical circumstances. (Institute of Medicine) Clinical Guidelines define the role of specific diagnostic and treatment modalities in the diagnosis and management of patients. Clinical Guidelines contain recommendations that are based on evidence from a rigorous systematic review and evaluation of the published medical literature. These guidelines may include categories outlined by the National Guideline ClearinghouseTM such as screening, evaluation, assessment of therapeutic effectiveness, management, rehabilitation, risk assessment, technology assessment, or treatment relating either to a specific disease or condition or to a therapy.
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Consensus Recommendations
These documents answer questions for which the level of evidence in the literature did not support any GRADE-level recommendations. These documents address questions about a nutrition practice topic using weaker supporting literature and expert opinion and consensus recommendations as well as identify areas for future research. These recommendations are not clinical guidelines as defined by ASPEN The need to deliver practice information to clinicians, even when it is of a consensus nature from practice experts, remains an important role of ASPEN.
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Position Papers
A document that presents the official opinion of ASPEN on a particular topic. These papers include a comprehensive review of the literature supporting the position taken.
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Special Reports
This is a catch-all category for documents that present ASPEN generated clinical, research, or public policy information or findings that are important for ASPEN constituents and do not fall into any of the other categories.
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Standards
Standards are benchmarks representing a range of performance of competent care that should be provided to assure safe and efficacious nutrition care. Standards are documents that define the structure needed to provide competent care. They usually address professional responsibilities as they relate to patient assessment, education, care plan development, implementation, clinical monitoring, evaluation, and professional issues. ASPEN publishes discipline-based (e.g., dietitian, nurse, pharmacist, or physician) and practice-based (e.g., adult hospitalized patients, pediatric hospitalized patients, home care, long-term care) standards. Standards are presented in the most generic terms possible. The details of specific tests, therapies, and protocols are left to the discretion of individual healthcare facilities. Each healthcare facility shall strive to provide the best nutrition support care that is possible given the resources of the organization. The standards aim to assure sound and efficient nutrition care for those in need of nutrition support therapy.
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ASPEN Endorsed Documents
ASPEN endorses these key resources from other organizations that are in line with our mission and scope of practice.
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