Question

A nurse is evaluating a ct who is receiving a continuous enteral feeding and has diarrhea. Which of the following actions should the nurse take to reduce the ct's diarrhea?

A. Increase the enteral feeding rate to meet nutritional needs.
B. Check for any signs of infection or complications.
C. Administer an antidiarrheal medication immediately.
D. Switch to a different enteral feeding formula.

Answer 1

A nurse should check for signs of infection or complications and consider switching to a different enteral feeding formula to reduce a patient's diarrhea from continuous enteral feeding. Rehydration and electrolyte replacement are also key supportive therapies.

Step-by-step explanation:

To address the issue of a patient receiving continuous enteral feeding and experiencing diarrhea, the nurse should:

• Check for any signs of infection or complications. This includes evaluating for symptoms like fever, abdominal pain, and blood in the stool which could indicate an infectious process such as Clostridium difficile.
• Consider switching to a different enteral feeding formula. Sometimes, a patient's gastrointestinal system cannot tolerate certain formulas, and a change might mitigate the diarrhea.

Additionally, rehydration and electrolyte replacement are important supportive therapies for managing diarrhea, especially if caused by an infectious agent. Specific treatments would depend on the diagnosis, which may involve lab tests such as a NAAT to diagnose a C. difficile infection, which is often related to recent antibiotic use).