Observation of preparation and administration of drugs by nursing assistants in patients with enteral feeding tube

Abstract

This study aimed to know the standard of preparation and administration of medicines to patients using probes of enteral nutrition (SNE) hospitalized in a university hospital in Porto Alegre. Were accompanied sixty nursing auxiliaries, in two units of hospital, in their routine work and observed their techniques. The practice was compared with procedures that are part of the rules for administration of medicines to patients on enteral therapy. The auxiliary held a grinding in 90% of cases of solid pharmaceutical preparation. For this procedure they used preferably the mortar and pistil (63.3%). The dilution of the drugs was made mainly with tap water (78.3%). Most professionals (91.1%) prepare and administer together all medications that were prescribed to the patient. Only four assistants performed the procedure separately. The washing of the SNE after administration of drugs was made for 75% of assistants. It was observed a great diversity of working methods used at the derivation, dilution and administration of medicines by nursing auxiliaries.