Enteral tube feeding: using good practice to prevent infection

Enteral tube feeding is the delivery of nutritionally complete feed via a tube into the gut. It is used for patients who are unable to meet their nutritional needs orally. Enteral feeding can be given through a variety of different tubes that access the gastrointestinal tract either via the stomach or the small bowel. The contamination of enteral feed can often be overlooked as a source of bacterial infection. Enteral feeds can become contaminated in a variety of different ways. Most often infections result in extended lengths of stay in hospital and patients also need additional therapies and treatments in order to resolve these infections. Healthcare-associated infections not only affect the patients who acquire them but also have an impact on the staff involved in their care. Each acute trust will have its own local policies and guidelines regarding enteral feeding and infection control and prevention. These local documents will be based on national initiatives and guidelines. It is important for nurses to refer to their local policies and guidelines before they start a patient on enteral feeding to ensure that they are doing so in the safest manner possible. Nurses' practice is key to preventing bacterial contamination in such patients.