Health care professionals' perceptions and experience of initiating different modalities for home enteral feeding. (April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ang, Shin Yuh; Lim, Siew Hoon; Lim, Mei Ling; Ng, Xin Ping; Madeleine, Lam; Chan, Mei Mei; Lopez, Violeta
• Is Part Of: Clinical nutrition ESPEN. Volume 30(2019)
• Page Start: 67
• Page End: 72
• Publication Date: 2019-04
• Subjects: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube -- Nasogastric tube -- Nutrition -- Enteral tube feeding -- Health care professionals -- Perceptions -- Experiences; Nutritionally induced diseases -- Periodicals; Metabolism -- Disorders -- Periodicals; 616.39005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2019.02.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2405-4577

Abstract

Summary: Background: With an aging population, there is a concomitant increase in number of patients with dysphagia; and hence increase in prevalence of enteral feeding. Health care professionals play a critical role in informing decisions of patients and caregivers on their choice of modality for long-term home enteral feeding. Aims: To explore the perceptions of health care professionals on different modalities for enteral feeding and their experiences in initiating long-term enteral feeding among adult patients. Methods: A qualitative explorative descriptive study design with purposive sampling approach was adopted. A total of four speech therapists, fifteen nurses and seven doctors who were ever involved in initiating long term home enteral tube feeding were recruited over a data collection period of August to December 2017. One to one interviews were conducted and audio-recorded. An inductive content analysis approach, with open coding, creation of categories and abstraction of data was adopted. Results: Four main themes were generated: (1) Naso-gastric Tube Feeding (NGT) is health care professionals' first choice of modality; (2) Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Tube Feeding (PEG) is regarded as an alternative approach; (3) Perceived better outcomes with PEG; and (4) Identified barriers to promotion of PEG. Conclusion: NGT remained as the modality of choice although health care professionals perceived that patients will have better outcomes with the use of PEG.