Administering Medications Enterally Topic 8 – Enteral medication

Introduction  Given as a liquid form in most cases via an IGT or gastrostomy or jejunostomy. Check with pharmacist as many meds come in liquid forms.  Oral forms can often be crushed an mixed in 30mls H 2 O form enteral administration. Do not crush enteric coated meds or split capsules, or S/L or buccal meds. Gelatinous meds can be dissolved in warm H 2 O

Equipment Required  Catheter tip or other appropriate syringe  pH strip  Incremental med cup  Medication order  Water to flush tube  Crusher  Gloves  Kidney dish

Procedure  Always Check order, find medication and check against order Prepare the dose and check the medication order again Before returning mediation check order for third time

Procedure con’t  Prepare each medication separately in 15 – 20 mls (less for fluid restricted pts)  Wearing gloves and with the pt semi-fowlers position as tolerated attach syringe to the end of the tube. Disconnect feeds or unclamp tube and aspirate gastric contents. Check on litmus paper and return aspirate to stomach or discard per policy of facility. Flush with 30mls water. (If large volumes of aspirate withhold meds and report.)

Procedure con’t  Remove plunger and add meds to barrel. Raise barrel and allow gravity drainage of contents to stomach. If required plunger may be reinserted and contents of syringe gently syringed in.  After all meds instilled flush tube with 30mls water and clamp or recommence feeds as indicated.

Consider these things …  Flush Flush Flush to prevent tube blockage  Use clean mortar and pestle for crushing to prevent contamination or administration of unordered meds