Your healthcare team will make sure you are well trained in hospital on the tube feeding steps for yourself or the one you care for. Yet we all find ourselves overwhelmed at times with new information when going through times of transition. Here we offer a place to refresh your memory and gain some reassurance with step-by-step guidance.
Step-by-step Tube Feeding Guidance
Before you begin
Make sure you have everything you need before starting to set up your tube feed. This may include:
- Pack/bottle with tube feed
- Pump
- Pump frame
- Feeding regimen
- Giving set
- Sterile or cooled boiled water
- Syringe for flushing.
It's important that everything is kept as clean as possible. Before starting tube feeding:
- Wash hands with soap and dry with a clean towel
- Clean all work surfaces
- Collect the tube feed and the giving set /syringe
- Set up the feed on the cleaned surface.
Before and after you use the tube for feeding, or to give medications, be sure to flush the tube with either sterile or cooled boiled water. Your dietitian should give you more information on how much water is needed for flushing the tube adequately to avoid any blockage.
