Enteral Feeding Set Handling Techniques.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-1-2017
Identifier
DOI: 10.1177/0884533616680840
Abstract
Background: Enteral nutrition therapy is common practice in pediatric clinical settings. Often patients will receive a pump-assisted bolus feeding over 30 minutes several times per day using the same enteral feeding set (EFS). This study aims to determine the safest and most efficacious way to handle the EFS between feedings.
Methods: Three EFS handling techniques were compared through simulation for bacterial growth, nursing time, and supply costs: (1) rinsing the EFS with sterile water after each feeding, (2) refrigerating the EFS between feedings, and (3) using a ready-to-hang (RTH) product maintained at room temperature. Cultures were obtained at baseline, hour 12, and hour 21 of the 24-hour cycle. A time-in-motion analysis was conducted and reported in average number of seconds to complete each procedure. Supply costs were inventoried for 1 month comparing the actual usage to our estimated usage.
Results: Of 1080 cultures obtained, the overall bacterial growth rate was 8.7%. The rinse and refrigeration techniques displayed similar bacterial growth (11.4% vs 10.3%, P = .63). The RTH technique displayed the least bacterial growth of any method (4.4%, P = .002). The time analysis in minutes showed the rinse method was the most time-consuming (44.8 ± 2.7) vs refrigeration (35.8 ± 2.6) and RTH (31.08 ± 0.6) ( P < .0001).
Conclusions: All 3 EFS handling techniques displayed low bacterial growth. RTH was superior in bacterial growth, nursing time, and supply costs. Since not all pediatric formulas are available in RTH, we conclude that refrigerating the EFS between uses is the next most efficacious method for handling the EFS between bolus feeds.
Journal Title
Nutrition in clinical practice : official publication of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
Volume
32
Issue
2
First Page
193
Last Page
200
MeSH Keywords
Colony Count, Microbial; Enteral Nutrition; Equipment Contamination; Food Microbiology; Humans; Infusion Pumps; Parenteral Nutrition Solutions; Pediatrics; Refrigeration
Keywords
bacteria; enteral nutrition; food safety; infection control; safety; tube feeding
Recommended Citation
Lyman B, Williams M, Sollazzo J, et al. Enteral Feeding Set Handling Techniques. Nutr Clin Pract. 2017;32(2):193-200. doi:10.1177/0884533616680840
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