Dehydration CAA

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Specializes in MDS Coordinator.

Hi All! Do you proceed on the dehydration CAA if a resident is NPO and gets all fluids from his Gtube feedings/flushes? I have always been taught to proceed since the resident is NPO but I am now rethinking that. If we are providing all his fluids, then shame on us if he is at risk for dehydration! Just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on this.

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Yes, I usually do; there are lots of reasons residents receiving tube feedings may develop dehydration; at the very least they are at risk simply because they are dependent for their hydration needs. I have always been of the mindset that having a care plan that is not necessary is better than NOT having one that is. I've never seen a survey care plan tag for having an unnecessary care plan. I have seen them issue citations for NOT having a care plan for a particular problem.

What I normally do is combine the risk for dehydration with the risk for fluid overload and complications at the insertion site all on one care plan.

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You definitely want to address their risk of dehydration. A lot of the CAAs are redundant and repetitive but they often make you think about how to care plan an item.

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