ESPEN Guideline on Home Enteral Nutrition
Clinical Nutrition
Bischoff, S. C., Austin, P., et al. (2019).
Clinical Nutrition, Epub ahead of print retrieved October 28, 2019 from https://www.espen.org/files/ESPEN-Guidelines/ESPEN_guideline_on_home_enteral_nutrition.pdf.
This guideline provides recommendations for home enteral nutrition monitoring and strategies for individuals at high nutritional risk. The following summary highlights recommendations within the scope of speech-language pathology.
European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism
"During [home enteral nutrition] HEN treatment, [quality of life] QoL should be measured periodically" (Grade GPP, Strong Consensus; p. 13). QoL measures should be validated specific questionnaires (Grade GPP, Consensus).
"For optimal management of [home enteral nutrition] HEN, a [nutrition support team] NST approach may comprise - in addition to a physician, a dietitian/nutritionist and a nurse - other allied healthcare professionals (for example, speech and language therapists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists, and pharmacists as necessary)" (Grade GPP, Strong Consensus; p. 15).
"All healthcare professionals who are directly involved in patient care should receive education and training, relevant to their duties, on the different aspects related to the safe provision of [home enteral nutrition] HEN and the importance of providing adequate nutrition" (Grade B, Strong Consensus; p. 14). "The environment for patients receiving HEN should be safe in order to administer the EN without the risk of complications" (Grade B, Strong Consensus; p. 14). "Hygiene standards should be established to prevent contamination of the home enteral product and to prevent HEN-related infections" (Grade GPP, Strong Consensus; p. 14).
"Routine water flushing before and after feeding can prevent tube obstruction and should be part of patient/carer education" (Grade GPP, Strong Consensus; p. 9).
