Home Gravity Tube Feeding Nutrition

There are some medical conditions such as a stroke, which leaves the patient unable to eat or drink. For some people swallowing is impossible, so they cannot get enough nutrition. With regular eating, the mouth and esophagus are used, but with tube feeding, these are bypassed.
If a patient cannot swallow due to any reason, a gastrostomy tube can be place in the stomach and nutritional feeding can be administered through this tube. There are times when the tube is placed into a small section of the small intestines, called the jejunum. This tube is call a jejunostomy or commonly referred to as a J-Tube.

The special medical nutritional product that is administered through the tube is called a formula. This contains all of the daily nutrients which you will need to have a well-balanced diet. There are different kinds of formulas and the one that is right for you is determined by your physician or dietician.

One way that the formula can be delivered is by gravity feeding. A sample tube feeding schedule is; 1 can of Jevity via the g-tube every 2-3 hours. This is usually done 5 times a day and the amount can be increased to 2 cans at a feeding if the patient tolerates it.

The gravity delivery set holds 1200ml and comes with a drip chamber and a roller clamp. The bag has a built in hanger and has a large opening with a leak proof cap, to help prevent formula spills and wastes. These come 30/case.

The tube feeding supplies will include the formula, a 60ml syringe, feeding tube set, room temperature water and an IV pole. Before starting the procedure, wash your hands thoroughly and also wash and dry the top of the formula cans. Shake the formula well and fill the feeding bag with the amount of cans of formula that the physician has ordered. Hang the bag on the pole.

Prior to starting the feeding, use the syringe to flush the feeding tube with the amount of water the physician has ordered. Then insert the tip end of the tubing into the feeding tube, adjusting the flow by the roller clamp. After the feeding is completed, flush the feeding tube with the amount of water the physician has ordered. This helps to keep the feeding tube from becoming clotted.

The feeding tube can also be utilized for giving medications. Most of the medications can be obtained in liquid form but if a medication is not available in liquid form, a pill can be crushed and placed in warm water before administering. Be sure to check with the pharmacist before crushing a medication to be sure it will work after being crushed. Never dilute your medicine with the formula and do not add the medicine to the formula in the feeding set. Always flush the tube well with water before and after giving the medications, so as not to plug up the tube.

General tips for home gravity feeding is to keep any open cans in the refrigerator. Throw away any formula that has been opened for longer than 48 hours. The patient needs to have their head elevated if in bed or can be sitting in a chair. Use a new feeding bag every day and rinse them out with warm water between refills.

Notify your physician if the patient has more than 3 loose, watery stools a day accompanied by stomach cramps that last for more than 2-3 days. Also if the patient has constipation lasting longer than 5 days or has been unable to take any formula for more than 24 hours, the physician should be notified.

The Determination Of The Medical Diagnosis

The description of medical diagnosis, refers to the process of making the diagnosis, of which the possible disease or disorder is discerned. The history of the medical diagnosis goes back to the earliest days of Hippocrates in Greece. There have been many changes in the medical profession, but the theories that were set down in the early 20th century, still remain today.

If a person detects something that is not known to be normal and expresses a complaint, then it is time to consider what the problem could be. Just the fact that a person goes to a physician itself can be an indication that there needs to be a diagnostic procedure done to determine the problem.
There are different aspects of making a medical diagnosis. One of the most important is the clinical diagnosis. This is made by checking the medical signs and the symptoms reported by the patient, instead of by the use of diagnostic testing.

Laboratory diagnosis are made by the use of significant laboratory testing. An example of this is when an infectious disease will show characteristics of the pathogen involved and is used in combination with the signs and symptoms gathered from the physical examination. The drawing of blood or blood cultures can show the physician which pathogens to treat.

There are also times when medical imaging studies can help with the diagnostic process. Such diagnosis as a fracture, is a common diagnosis that can be made in this manner. X-rays have been used since 1895 and were the first attempt that was made to give images of the interior of the body. There are times when all these are combined to help make the diagnosis needed. The process of identifying all of the possible diagnosis that could be made by the lab and radiologic findings in combination with the signs and symptoms, can help make that final diagnosis.

Years ago, the physicians did not have the information they have today and more people died because of it. It was not uncommon for women to die in childbirth and today it is something that does not happen frequently. The advancements made in the clinics and hospitals of today have saved many a life.

Many clinics today have the ability to do simple x-rays and laboratory testing, which helps the physician make a faster diagnosis and are cheaper for the patient. The hospitals of today are equipped with the best of equipment in order to help with the care and diagnosis of the inpatients. The medical supply companies provide the clinics and hospitals with the best of supplies and equipment needed for this care.

With all the new technology, the future for the medical profession is going to be interesting. A few of the hospitals are already using robodoc's, which roll around checking on the patients. These are on wheels and have a computer screen, which allows the physician and the patient to communicate even if the physician is out of town. Let your imagination go wild and just think, within the next 10 years the changes in the making of the medical diagnosis that might be seen.

Tuberculosis Testing And Treatment

A tuberculosis skin test is done to determine if a person has been exposed to tuberculosis. This test is part of the hiring process for many companies, especially hospitals and any health care facilities. Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease that travels through the air from one person to another.

A positive TB skin test does not mean that the person has the TB bacteria, only that they have been exposed. Follow-up testing must be done in order to tell whether or not the person has latent TB infection (the bacteria is living in the body without making them sick) or the TB disease (the bacteria has progressed and become active). There are many people who have the latent disease that never become sick with the active bacteria.

The common symptoms of TB are:

• Coughing up blood or secretions
• A cough that last longer than 2-3 weeks
• Pain in the chest area
• Fatigue or weakness
• Loss of weight
• Poor appetite
• Chills
• Fever
• Night sweats

Complications can arise if the person infected with the bacteria is already compromised. People that had the TB bacteria previously and were not correctly treated, run a higher risk for the disease to become active. HIV patients that already have a compromised immune system and alcohol and illegal drug abusers, are definitely at a higher risk for complications. Any person that has a disease such as diabetes or any person that is immuno-compromised, needs to be very careful not to be exposed to the TB bacteria.

Tuberculin skin testing is done with the use of a serum for testing (tuberculin) and a tuberculin syringe. The skin test is done using .10 ml of the serum, injected with a tuberculin syringe into the lower part of the inside of the arm.

After 48 to 72 hours the test needs to read by a trained professional to look for a reaction on the arm. If the area is raised, hard or swelling, the area is measured. If the area is reddened, but not raised and hard, it is not considered positive. If the skin test is positive, additional tests are needed to determine if the infection is latent or the TB disease. If the test is negative, this means that the body did not react to the test and that TB is unlikely.

Both latent and progressive TB can be treated. People who have latent TB cannot spread it to others, but if it becomes active they can. That is the reason that these people are often given treatment. Treatment for these people is easier, because they don't have as much of the bacteria in their bodies as someone with active TB.

There are currently 10 drugs that are approved for treatment of active TB. The most common are isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide. The treatment usually last about 6 to 9 months. It is very important for people to finish the treatment as prescribed. If they don't, the TB bacteria could still be alive and become even more resistant to those drugs.

Safe Disposal For Needles And Syringes

It is very important to manage needles and syringes in the hospital setting. Any device that is used to puncture or lacerate the skin needs to be properly disposed of. These are considered biohazardous waste and must be very carefully handled. Syringes, needles, blades and contaminated glass and even some plastics, are in this category.

In addition to the sharps, anything such as a syringe connected to a needle, is considered sharps waste. Although the syringe cannot puncture the skin, because it was connected to the needle, it is now considered part of the hazardous waste. If a glass or plastic container has been contaminated with biohazardous material, then it is also treated the same as the needles.

If the sharp penetrates the skin, it is possible for the biohazard waste to spread blood-borne pathogens. Hospital staff expose themselves to the risk of transmission of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV, on a daily basis. The volume handled by the staff increases the chances that an accident can occur. Proper handling of the biohazardous waste helps to decrease these risks.

The best way to help prevent injuries is to take extreme care with the management and disposal of the waste. Hospital staff should minimize their contact with the sharps, handling them as little as possible. Hospitals have strict protocols which follows the government regulations, to ensure that staff handle the waste safely and that the waste is disposed of effectively.

Sharp containers are available in various sizes, for the disposal of these needles and syringes, blades, and other biohazardous waste. These heavy duty plastic containers are self-locking and sealable. The containers are made so that the whole container can be disposed of with the other biohazardous waste.

Disposal methods vary from state to state, but the common practice is, the disposal of the biohazardous waste by a truck service. Some hospitals and clinics, have a routine company that comes through the patient rooms and nurses' station and changes the containers for the staff. The staff then changes the sharps containers in between the company's trips, if necessary. Most facilities have the protocol, that these are to be changed when they are 2/3 full. The main cause of accidental needle sticks is needle sticking out of the sharp containers. Always check the policies and protocols for the facility and observe them closely.

The amount of injections that are given worldwide is astronomical. More than 16 billion a year are given, contributing to the increase in the accidental needle stick problem. The development of safety features, such as the auto-disable injection device, which retracts the needle back into the syringe, has helped decrease the accidental needle stick problem. Never recap a needle, always follow the policy of the facility for disposal and be careful.

Potential Risks With An Implanted Venous Access Port And Huber Needle

The implanted venous access port device is a drug delivery system for the delivery of fluids, drugs, or for the drawing of blood samples. The device has the capability to be accessed repeatedly with a Huber needle. The venous port consists of an implantable stainless steel port, with a septum that is self-sealing.

The major risk with the implanted port is infection, a bacterial infection can cause the port to have to be removed and can jeopardize the health of the patient. Aseptic technique should always be used when accessing, deaccessing, or dressing the site. Another complication can be the formation of a blood clot in the catheter. The blood clots can block the device. In order to prevent this problem, the catheter is flushed with saline or heparin as ordered by the health care provider or by the protocol of the facility.

The failure of the mechanical device is possible, although extremely unlikely. Usually what happens in this case, is the catheter that is attached to the device breaks away and if this happens, surgery will be necessary to remove the device and catheter. Normally the patient is not aware of this happening, but it is discovered because the port cannot be flushed or blood cannot be withdrawn.

An additional risk that can occur with the use of the device in children, is that as they grow, the device may move. A pneumothorax, which is an injury to the lung, can also occur with the insertion of the device.

Risk involving the Huber needle, starts with the possible needle stick injuries of the clinician because of the sharpness of the needle itself. It is common for there to be a rebound injury because of the unusual force that is needed to push the needle into the elastic septum. This is troublesome because these implanted access ports are often used for Hepatitis B and AIDS patients.

The Huber needles are designed to emphasize safe and effective needle stick protection. The needle has a safety cover that is to be used in order to help prevent needle sticks. The safety cover helps when removing the Huber needle with one hand, while using the other hand to apply pressure to the access site.

The policies and protocols for proper techniques while accessing and deaccessing the port site with a Huber needle, should be followed carefully. If these protocols are not followed, the chances of an infection or other complications rise dramatically. The dressing that is applied after accessing, should also be changed per facility protocol. Safety and following protocol is always the safest way to help prevent these risks from occurring.