Question

A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving intermittent enteral tube feedings and having diarrhea after each feeding. Which of the following actions should the nurse take in an attempt to prevent diarrhea after subsequent feedings? a)Chill formula prior to administration. b)Verify feeding tube placement. c)Reduce the rate of the feedings. d)Place the client supine during feedings

Answer 1

The nurse should consider option (c) - "Reduce the rate of the feedings" in an attempt to prevent diarrhea after subsequent enteral tube feedings.

Diarrhea can occur when the rate of enteral feedings is too fast for the client to tolerate. Slowing down the rate of the feedings allows the digestive system to better handle the nutrients and can reduce the risk of diarrhea.

Options (a) - "Chill formula prior to administration" and (d) - "Place the client supine during feedings" are not typically interventions aimed at preventing diarrhea related to enteral feedings.

Option (b) - "Verify feeding tube placement" is an important nursing action but is not directly related to preventing diarrhea. It ensures that the tube is correctly positioned before administering feedings but doesn't address the issue of diarrhea specifically.