Home parenteral nutrition with full-time home care nurses

A group of patients exists who cannot manage home parenteral nutrition (HPN) due to debilitating conditions and/or lack of family resources. They are limited to either nursing home placement or extended hospitalization unless home nursing care is provided. A 58-year-old single female with malabsorption secondary to scleroderma was sent home on cyclic HPN under the supervision of full-time home care nurses. A comprehensive patient-centered nurse training program was designed to teach nursing personnel from a private nursing service the theory and practice of HPN. Each nurse must achieve at least 80% in the theory posttest and demonstrate the competent performance of central venous catheter care, mixing of parenteral nutrition solutions, use of infusion pump, and application of the heparin lock. The results of the pre- and posttests have shown that the home care nurses have been able to learn the theory necessary for implementing HPN. The mean pretest value was 46% while the mean posttest value was 90% (n = 12, p = 0.01). The patient has been doing very well at home for 5 months in this psychologically, medically, and financially effective program covered by third party payers. To the best of our knowledge, this program has never before been accomplished.