Nursing of enteral nutrition

Enteral nutrition care is very important. If your relatives or friends at home have this disease, you should pay attention. The care for such patients is no different from that for other diseases. We must first take care of the patient's personal hygiene and keep them in a good mood. The patient's mood is very important. Let me tell you some things about enteral nutrition care.

1. Preventing aspiration

(1) Properly secure the feeding tube: If feeding is done via a nasogastric tube, the feeding tube should be properly secured to the cheek to prevent the nasogastric tube from shifting into the esophagus and causing aspiration.

(2) Adopt appropriate body position: Place the patient in an appropriate body position according to the location of the feeding tube and the patient's condition. Patients with impaired consciousness, slow gastric emptying, and those receiving nutritional fluid infusion through a nasogastric tube or gastrostomy tube should adopt a semi-recumbent position to prevent reflux and aspiration of the nutritional fluid. Patients receiving instillation via nasogastric tube or jejunostomy tube can assume any lying position.

(3) Timely estimate of gastric residual volume: Before and during each infusion of enteral nutrition solution (every 4 hours), aspirate and estimate the gastric residual volume. If the residual volume is greater than 100-150 ml each time, the infusion should be delayed or suspended. If necessary, gastrokinetic drugs should be added to prevent reflux caused by gastric retention and lead to aspiration.

(4) Strengthen observation: If the patient suddenly develops choking, shortness of breath, or coughs up sputum similar to nutrient solution, it should be suspected that the feeding crab has shifted and caused aspiration. The patient should be encouraged and stimulated to cough to expel aspirated substances and secretions. If necessary, the aspirated substances should be removed through a nasal catheter or bronchoscope.

2. Avoid damage to the mucous membrane and skin. The nasal mucosa should be wiped with ointment every day to act as a lubricant. For those with gastric or jejunal ostomy, the skin around the ostomy should be kept dry and clean.

I have talked so much about enteral nutrition care above. Enteral nutrition care sounds simple, but it is not that simple if we do it in practice. I hope everyone can study some knowledge about enteral nutrition care seriously. If we can do enteral nutrition care well, the patient will recover soon.