title: Enteral tube feeding--from hospital to home.
abstract: There are a number of benefits to providing home enteral feeding, however, problems can occur if care is not taken to arrange training and after-care appropriately. It is therefore essential to facilitate an informed and thorough transfer of care to minimize potential problems. This article will address some of the issues that arise when patients who require home enteral feeding are discharged from hospital to their own homes or to care homes. These issues include the knowledge that is required to enable the patient and/or carer to safely manage their feeding tube, the feeding regimen, the continuing support required from health-care professionals, and some of the more common problems that may arise.
authors.affiliation: Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Hampshire.
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Best
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hitchings
mesh_terms: D000359:Aftercare / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000451:nursing*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005774:Gastrostomy / Q000451:nursing; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007441:Intubation, Gastrointestinal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000451:nursing; D007582:Jejunostomy / Q000451:nursing; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D018579:Patient Selection; D055656:Prescriptions; D012017:Referral and Consultation