Considerations
Before administering medication via an enteral feeding tube, it is important to consider the type of water and syringe used.
Using the appropriate water ensures patient safety and reduces the risk of infection or tube blockage.
Selecting the correct syringe size helps maintain accurate dosing and safe delivery.
These factors are essential for effective and safe medication administration.
Water
Use the appropriate type of water for preparing the medicine and flushing the tube.
This will be based on local water supply, tube exit site and your local enteral feeding policy.
Tubes terminating in the stomach
Use freshly drawn tap water or sterile water
Tubes terminating in the jejunum
Use boiled and cooled water, or sterile water such as water for irrigation
Immunosuppressed patients
Use boiled and cooled water, or sterile water such as water for irrigation
Some medicines may interact with ions in water, such as doxazosin and flecainide. De-ionised water, such as water for injection, or water for irrigation should be used.
Syringe
Type
Use EnFit® (ISO 80369-3) syringes for flushing and medicine administration.
For immunocompromised patients and those with enteral feeding tubes which terminate in the jejunum, use single-use, sterile syringes.
Size
Select a syringe size that can accurately measure the required volume for medicines and flushes. Smaller sizes may be required for children due to smaller doses.
The largest functional syringe size should be used, as small syringes create high intraluminal pressures and may damage the tube.
Dead-space volume
Enteral syringes have a substantial dead-space at the tip.
Filling this space would pose a risk of medicine overdose, leakage, wastage and contamination of the area.
Always use the appropriate bottle adapters to prevent dead-space from filling. These are available from the enteral syringe manufacturers.
Step by step guide
Update history
- Republished
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