Fishy smelling gtube

[RNJamie12]

I have been working home health and have a 14 month old patient with a gtube. Her gtube was recently replaced and now I notice a distinctly fishy, tuna like smell from the abdominal fluids. The insertion site is red but no pus is present. I notified the patient's father and will notify the day nurse (I work nights). Do I still need to notify the doctor as well or is notifying the parent and day nurse enough? Thanks!

[KBICU]

I dont work in home health but any suspicious findings I would let the doc know...never hurts to just report your abnormals, even if they turn out to be nothing.

[tachybradyRN]

I have been working home health and have a 14 month old patient with a gtube. Her gtube was recently replaced and now I notice a distinctly fishy, tuna like smell from the abdominal fluids. The insertion site is red but no pus is present. I notified the patient's father and will notify the day nurse (I work nights). Do I still need to notify the doctor as well or is notifying the parent and day nurse enough? Thanks!

Wouldn't be a bad idea to notify the doc. I would cleanse the site and apply a new dressing and document my care including any drainage and the appearance of the site as well as the odor noted, and I would notify the doc when going off in the AM (not something that needs to be called in the middle of the night IMO)

[amoLucia]

Was any different formula/solution/med newly used? We all know that certain consumed foods give off internal odors. (Like asparagus and garlic.)

Still like OPs stated, notify the MD just to be safe and cotinue to monitor.

[leslie :-D]

i have to agree about reporting it to dr.

my first thought was to get lft's checked.

leslie