Ryana Anjela DR. Quero
University of the Philippines, Philippines
Title: Gastric gavage practices of nurses in a local tertiary hospital
Biography
Biography: Ryana Anjela DR. Quero
Abstract
Purpose: Inconsistencies in the performance of practices in gastric gavage, a fundamental nursing skill, remain despite the presence of evidence-based guidelines. The study aimed to (1) Describe gastric gavage practices of nurses (2) Determine factors associated with the performance of such practices. Design: Descriptive correlational Methods: Quota sampling of nurses (n = 111) working in wards and intensive care units of a tertiary hospital for adult patients requiring nutritional support through gastric gavage was performed. Gastric gavage practices were assessed using a self-report survey. Results: Majority of respondents correctly identified x-ray as the gold standard for determining tube placement (58.5%), and use of gastric pH measurement as another reliable method (61.9%). However, only 13.5% correctly identified air insufflation as an unreliable method. In terms of feeding skills, 75% of the respondents checked for food allergies, presence of bowel sounds, tolerance to previous feedings, and feeding complications prior to feeding. On the other hand, 39.6% routinely added gastrointestinal medications to nutrition formula and 30% crushed sustained-release oral tablets when administering via enteral tubes. Scores on knowledge and skills on gastric gavage were found to have a significant positive correlation (p < 0.01). No significant correlations were found between gavage practices and nurse- and work-related factors, such as length of experience, nurse rank, nurse-patient ratio and patient load. Conclusions: Strengthening of knowledge on gastric gavage standards may improve actual bedside practice. Addressing documented gaps in practices and standards may have an impact in the provision of safe and quality nursing care.