Evaluation of the nutritional intake of medical patients undergoing naso-gastric feeding

Abstract

Up till the present time, what goes into the naso-gastric tube of tube-fed patients has been solely decided by the individual nurse, with no consultation whatsoever with the dietitian or doctor. The quality of these decisions is therefore questionable. No clear guidelines exist to help the decision-maker. The purpose of the study is to establish the incidence of medical patients who are being fed through the naso-gastric tube, to see what is presently being given to these patients and finally to recommend what should be given in such cases. All the medical patients in the eight medical wards at St. Luke's Hospital, who happened to be fed by means of a naso-gastric tube for any period of time during the month of September 1991, were used as the sample for the study. Observations were carried out during the feeding of these patients at three different times. The results showed that no instructions are given at all, either about the actual administration or the contents of the feed itself. The study concludes that (i) the patients' nutritional needs should be systematically and properly assessed; (ii) guidelines for the administration of naso-gastric feeds be drawn up and implemented, especially through a proper programme of continuing nurse (and doctor) education; (iii) the nutritional intake of naso-gastric tube-fed patients be continuously monitored and (where necessary) adjusted.