Author Question: The nurse is preparing a patient who will receive intermittent enteral nutrition at home with a ... (Read 82 times)

saraeharris · **on:** Jul 23, 2018

The nurse is preparing a patient who will receive intermittent enteral nutrition at home with a hyperosmolar solution. What information will the nurse include when teaching this patient?

a. How to perform the Valsalva maneuver
b. The need to consume extra fluids between feedings
c. The need to decrease dietary fiber
d. The need to remain supine during infusion of the enteral solution

Question 2

The provider calculates the enteral nutrition needs for a nonambulatory patient and determines that the patient will need 300 mL of Ultracal every 4 hours. Which method of delivery will the nurse use to administer these feedings?

a. 300 mL every 4 hours given via syringe as a 10-minute bolus
b. 300 mL every 4 hours given via enteral pump as a 45-minute infusion
c. 75 mL per hour via enteral pump as a continuous infusion
d. 150 mL every 2 hours via gravity infusion

momo1250 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 23, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
Dehydration can occur if patients do not receive enough water during or between feedings, so patients should be taught to consume extra water. The Valsalva maneuver is taught to patients who receive TPN to prevent embolus. Enteral feedings can cause diarrhea, so decreased fiber may aggravate that.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: B
Intermittent enteral feedings are an inexpensive and safe method of administering enteral nutrition and may be used when patients are nonambulatory. Three hundred to 400 mL of solution may be given and should infuse over 30 to 60 minutes. While bolus methods may be used for patients receiving 250 to 400 mL of solution, this method is not tolerated well by non-ambulatory patients and may cause nausea, vomiting, aspiration, abdominal cramping, and diarrhea. Continuous feedings are used for critically ill patients. Gravity feedings cannot be well-controlled and may infuse too fast or too slow.