Gastrointestinal Intolerance in Critically Ill Patients: Definitions, Management & Nutrition Considerations

Beth Besecker, MD, MBA, SSGB

Director, Adult Medical Affairs 
Abbott Nutrition 
Columbus, OH, USA

Beth Besecker is the Director of Medical Affairs, Adult Nutrition for Abbott Nutrition. She is a board certified in pulmonology, critical care and sleep medicine. Dr Besecker worked as an Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine as a Pulmonary Critical Care attending physician at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center form 2009-2020. Additionally, she received an MBA from The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business in 2019. She is six sigma green belt certified and served as a Team Lead and Coach for the Quality Improvements Project Committee at Ohio State for multiple years. Her continuous quality improvement focus is on improving healthcare quality and efficiency in a manner which lessens physician burden. Research interests of Dr Besecker include the role of zinc on immunity in septic patients, participation in the TOP UP Study of supplemental parenteral nutrition in over and underweight critically ill patients, and multiple studies on the treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Jan Powers, PhD, RN, CCNS, NE-BC, FCCM

Director, Nursing & Professional Practice 
Parkview Regional Health System 
Fort Wayne, IN, USA

Jan Powers currently serves as the Director of Nursing Research and Professional Practice at Parkview Health System. This role includes accountability for professional practice and research development for 9 hospital system. Responsibilities include oversight of policy and procedures, mentor clinical nurse specialists, advancing nursing practice and ongoing development of research and evidence-based practice. Jan is also part time faculty at IU School of Nursing Graduate Program. Jan has been a nurse for 35 years in various roles related to Critical Care and Trauma and worked as a CNS over 20 years primarily focused on implementation of research and evidence-based practices to improve patient outcomes. Jan received her BSN, MSN and PhD all from Indiana University School of Nursing. She has conducted many research studies related to nursing practice with a primary focus on improving patient outcomes through the advancement of nursing practice. Primary focus areas related to pulmonary, trauma, pressure injuries and nutrition. Jan is passionate about inspiring nurses to own their practice with an emphasis on the implementation of evidence-based practices. She has published over 70 journal articles and book chapters and has given numerous presentations related to a wide variety of areas within nursing practice.

Katie Robinson, PhD, MPH, RD, LD, CNSC

Medical Science Liaison 
Scientific and Medical Affairs 
Abbott Nutrition 
Columbus, OH, USA

Dr Katie Robinson leads the Medical Science Liaison Team within Medical Affairs at Abbott’s Nutrition Division. The Medical Science Liaison team is comprised of clinician scientists who support research and routinely present educational programs on behalf of Abbott. Her expertise includes obesity, malnutrition, and critical care nutrition.

Dr Robinson completed her bachelor’s degree in Dietetics at Iowa State University and her dietetic internship at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). During her time at UIUC, she also earned a Master of Public Health and a PhD in Nutritional Sciences, taught multiple undergraduate and graduate courses, and assisted with coordinating the undergraduate didactic program in dietetics. She then completed postdoctoral training at University of Iowa’s Diabetes Research Center. Her research investigated the impact of nutrition and genetics on outcomes of behavioral and surgical weight loss interventions.

Dr Robinson is a Certified Nutrition Support Clinician and has served as a workgroup member for the Evidence Analysis Library of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She is an advocate for dietitians in research and continues to publish in peer-reviewed journals.