Administering a Glycerin Enema

Specialties NICU

Published

How do you administer a glycerin enema in other NICUs? They come up in a small oral syringe with about 2 cc in it. Is there a product or device that you have found to help administer this small amount?

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On our unit babylax ( glycerin enema) is kept in a large jar and we just pull out what we need when we get an order for it.

We pull up what the prescribed amount is in a 1cc syringe ( usually 0.4 or 0.5cc) and then 0.5 more is pulled back. This is because we administer it through a 6.5 fr NG tube that is lubed. The NG tube holds 0.5 itself...so when pushing 0.9 ( on a 0.4 order for example) only 0.4 goes in. Then we insert the end of the NG tube a little bit into the rectum and hold while we push.

Hope that makes sense!

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I am sorry I meant 0.2 cc instead of 2.

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Specializes in NICU III/Transport.

Ours also comes in 2ml prefilled oral syringes. Like BoonersmomRN said, a 5 or 6.5fr OG tube... prime the tube with the glycerin and leave the required dose in the attached syringe.

Hope that helps!

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Specializes in NICU.

We use either a sliver of a glycerin suppository or a saline enema. And Quite honestly, only the docs or NPs administer the enemas, so I don't pay much attention to the actual process. I do know that they are pretty rare in our NICU, but we do often have a standing PRN suppository order for 48 hours with no stool.

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Specializes in PICU, ICU, Transplant, Trauma, Surgical.

Not sure about enemas. We do glycerin suppositories.

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The only glycerin enemas I've used are the Fleet Liquid Suppositories, which are what I'd call mini-enemas, but it's been a while. The adult size has 5-10ml of liquid glycerin in a small pre-lubricated bulb type applicator. Unlike the regular glycerin suppositories, these worked just about every time, usually in 5 to 10 minutes.

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).

At my last job, we used 0.2ml of liquid glycerin (10% I believe) in a lubricated 1cc slip-tip syringe to administer into the rectum.

Here we use a non-sharp sliver of glycerin suppository.

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Specializes in ICN.

Most of our babies get prn orders for one fourth of a glycerin suppository to be given q 24 hours if they haven't stooled. Nurses are the ones who give all suppositories and enemas, although we generally only give saline enemas and I've never used fleets on a baby. Most of the preemies need regular suppositories to keep them stooling when we are just starting feeds.

Dawn

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