A patient is discharged and is sent home with enteral feedings. What instructions should the nurse give to the caregiver?
a. Flush the tube out after administering medications.
b. Keep the tube loose to allow for patient movement.
c. Use sterile technique when preparing and administering feedings.
d. Hang enough formula each time to cover 8 to 12 hours of feeding.
A
Discuss flushing of the tube after administration of feedings or medications to prevent clogging. Discuss measures to stabilize the feeding tube in patients with abdominal tubes and to protect skin integrity. Perform hand hygiene to reduce the transfer of microorganisms. Sterile technique is not needed. Limiting the amount of formula "hung" at one time to an amount that can be infused in a 4- to 6-hour period will help limit bacterial growth.
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Pete is a nursing instructor who is lecturing to students about how to respond to individuals who are in the midst of a disaster
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