Failure to Properly Administer and Connect Enteral Feeding
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a resident with a history of cerebral vascular accident, generalized weakness, and diabetes mellitus, who was dependent on staff for activities of daily living and had cognitive impairment, did not receive appropriate care related to their enteral feeding. The resident had a physician's order for Glucerna 1.5 to be administered via gastrostomy tube twice daily at a specified rate. During observation, the feeding tube connection device was found on the floor, disconnected from the resident's gastrostomy tube, while the feeding pump continued to run. Upon further investigation, a Licensed Vocational Nurse confirmed that the feeding tube was not properly connected, which could result in the resident not receiving their prescribed nutrition. The Director of Nursing also acknowledged that the tube feeding set should be a closed unit to prevent infection and that failure to connect the feeding could lead to nutritional deficits. Facility policy required enteral feedings to be administered per physician order and connected to the resident, which was not followed in this instance.