Guidance for those who are enterally fed, including the caregivers and clinical staff who offer support, with education to achieve nutrition goals.
The following resources are created by Cardinal Health’s Global Medical Affairs team, who are clinicians dedicated to creating awareness and providing education on the clinical benefits of our devices to promote optimal health outcomes for enteral nutrition consumers. The purpose of these materials is to provide meaningful education resources related to Cardinal Health Nutritional Delivery products.
Light and noise are two drivers that can cause sleep disruption, influencing quality of life and well-being. Evidence is showing that if patients and their caregivers can reduce the presence of sleep disruption during continuous enteral-tube feeding, they can minimize the risk of experiencing adverse health conditions linked with sleep disturbances1.
Read more about how light and noise can impact patients who receive continuous nighttime feeds:
Reviewing enteral nutrition intake and actual amounts of formula and water that is administered to those who are enterally fed is critical to reduce the risks of malnutrition, including poor wound healing, increased healthcare costs, and the risk of infection2. While an electronic medical record (EMR) provides documentation of the prescribed enteral fluid volumes to a patient or resident, it may not reflect the actual volume of feeding delivered.
Learn more about the impact that access to a far-reaching feeding history (last 30 days) can have for healthcare providers to ensure that enterally fed patients and residents are receiving adequate nutrition based on their feeding prescription:
Tracking feeding history supports adequate nutrition delivery
The clinical benefits of blenderized tube feedings:
There is growing interest in both adult and pediatric patients to receive blenderized tube feedings (BTF), either commercial or home prepared for individual use, to support enteral nutrition needs. Please note that both commercial and prepared BTF must be prescribed by an HCP for administration.
While BTF is linked to reducing or eliminating needs for GI medications, decreasing hospitalization rates,3,4 and improving quality of life for both patients and their families5,6 there are still possible clinical risks with this form of support including prepared BTF not being permitted for inpatient use secondary to risk of microbial contamination6,7,8.
Global Medical Affairs completed an in-depth review on the benefits of BTF, potential clinical risks, challenges of administering thicker formulas* with today’s enteral feeding pumps which can be accessed below:
We are fortunate to share additional information regarding thick formula in a recent podcast episode of “Counter Talk” hosted by Christina Rollins, a registered dietitian and nutrition support clinician. You can listen to the first episode of the “Nourishing Conversations in Enteral Nutrition” series below, where Katherine Bennett, a pediatric registered dietitian who works with patients and families receiving BTF, highlights her experiences with BTF, the benefits of thick formula for enterally fed pediatric patients, and tips that patients and caregivers should keep in mind. Listen Now >
The IDDSI Framework:
IDDSI is an internationally recognized standard that objectively quantifies the thickness of various foods and drinks consistent of different levels that range from thin to extremely thick. Many BTF formulas fall in the range of IDDSI levels 2-4 (Mildly Thick to Extremely Thick) but can be impacted by a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the hydration content of specific types of ingredients, temperature of formula at time of delivery, and caloric composition.
The thick formula feeding sets for the Kangaroo OMNI™ Enteral Feeding pump have been tested and are approved to administer thick formula up to an IDDSI level 4 (Extremely Thick) in addition to standard formula.
© The International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative 2019 @ https://iddsi.org/ Licensed under the CreativeCommons Attribution Sharealike 4.0 License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode. Derivative works extending beyond language translation are NOT PERMITTED.
Visit IDDSI’s website to learn more about the IDDSI framework and how this tool can be used to measure the thickness of a commercial or home-prepared BTF formula.
*Thick formula: Enteral fluids of smooth consistency that would be categorized as level 2, 3 or 4 Drinks within the IDDSI framework.
