In: Nursing
. A 5-month-old infant who was born at 24 weeks gestation is ready to be discharged from the NICU. She will be going home on oxygen, gastrostomy tube feedings, and eight medications. Develop a teaching plan for the family
Teaching plan on Oxygen therapy, gastrostomy tube feeding and medications
Oxygen therapy
- Explained the importance of continuing the oxygen at home is to maintain the amount of oxygen for the infant.
- Advised that the family member can give the oxygen therapy by using face masks as well as nasal prong. encourage to used nasal prong only as it will be more comfortable for the infant.
- Advice to maintain hygiene before administering the oxygen to the infant.
- Advice not to remove the oxygen supply without a doctor's prescription.
- Advice to keep the head a little upward position.
Gastrostomy feeding
- Advice to check the gastrostomy site for any pus or redness that are the signs of infection.
- Advice to clean the surrounding of the tube every day to prevent infection.
- Advice not to give anything through mouth. Whatever feeding should be given through the gastrostomy feeding.
- Advice to maintain hygiene or wash hands before and after feeding the infant.
- As 5 months infant need breast milk, the mother can feed with breast milk by squeezing the breast milk in a container and feed through the tube.
- Flushed the tube before and after feeding with water to prevent from blocking the tube.
- Strict advice should be given to feed only a liquid diet.
- Advice to ensure the infant sleep in supine position to prevent removal of the tube.
Medication
- For giving medication, it can be administered through the gastrostomy feeding.
- If it is in tablet form crush the medication and dissolve in the feeding and feeding through the tube.
- If syrups then add in the feeding directly and feed the infant.
-Before giving the medication correct dose and route should be checked.
- Check for the expiry date of the medication
- Wash hand before and after giving medication to the patient.