CNAs allowed to feed via tube?

[pre-unsure]

I'm a newly licensed CNA in North Carolina, I work in home health and was just given a case working with a 14 year old girl. I'm not sure what her medical condition is yet, but I see that she is nonverbal & very dependent.

On her care plan it specifies that I am to feed her using a tube, only I thought you could not use feeding tubes as a CNAI. Am I right about this? Aren't CNAs not allowed to feed via tubes?

Thanks

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

There's a difference between monitoring an ongoing feed that a nurse has set up and doing it all yourself. There's also a difference between a nonmedical person (like a parent) doing this for his/her own child and the liability your agency assumes when it sends you out to do it.

The answer to your question resides in the state board that regulates CNAs in your state. Time to find out stat.

If it turns out you are allowed to do this, be sure you get good orientation and training (not just, "Fill this up, plug this in, turn this on") and that it's documented that you did a complete return demonstration.

Oh, and if you have learned to do this in nursing school, you are not practicing as a student nurse working on your own time without instructor supervision, so don't let 'em tell you that it's ok because you did it as a student unless the state board says a CNA can do this.