Jevity from liquid to coagulation consistency

[smooshcrickets]

Three 8oz cans of Jevity is prepared in the G-tube feeding and runs at 50ml/hour. Every so often, by the afternoon, the consistency gets thickened, almost like coagulated blood, and the machine starts getting errors. This doesn't happen all the time but happens enough. The room is not hot, no direct sunlight hits the bag, and it is changed every day.

Is jevity known to do this or could this be due to bad formula? The expiration reads April 2012

[I<3H2O, BSN, RN]

I've never had this happen. Is it setting up in the tubing? Does it have routine flushes going through the pump as well?

[smooshcrickets]

>

It gets thick in the bag itself, almost looks as if it spoiled like milk yet there is no foul odor. Upon first opening the cans the Jevity looks perfectly fine and again this only happens maybe once or twice a week. It's so strange.

I called the pharmacy and they said they've never heard of this, will have to wait until tomorrow to call Abbot Laboratories customer service

[scg08rn]

jevity is very thick! Try to see if you can increase the amount of flushes throughout the day, that might help.

[April, RN, BSN, RN]

If this is a problem with the Jevity itself, can your facility look into getting bottles of it? We use the ready-to-hang bottles where I work and have never had a problem.

[vampiregirl, BSN, RN]

I care for a resident who had been on a higher jevity rate, and have had some coagulation issues in the g-tube once the rate was lowered. We use the ready to hang bottles.

As long as I make sure the meds and scheduled flushes (using warm water) are done on time, I haven't had many pump issues.

[smooshcrickets]

This is a patient at home with the grandson changing the feeding to a new bag every day so what he is sent are hanging bags and cans of the Jevity. I'm not sure that the prefilled bottles are covered for home health patients, i'd have to check up on that.

Just to clarify, you can actually take the hanging bag with the jevity inside and slide it left and right and see that it is completely thickened like coagulated blood, spoiled milk, pudding, or something else of that consistency.

[WSU_Ally_RN, BSN, RN]

can you put less feed in the bag at a time? where i work, we only do 4 hours of feed at a time... maybe it is spoiling?

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

One source I saw recommends keeping the bottle refrigerated until use. Are you using a Kangaroo or like pump. Are you flushing with 30-40 cc water every 4 hours. In the back bag of the kangaroo you can put crushed Ice. Are you filling the bag with a full bottle. Have you tried putting less in it and keeping the rest refrigerated.

If not contraindicated by the doctor you might try that. Are you checking residual and holding for over 50 cc? Is the patient lying in the most adequate position for tube feedings, not curled up or on his stomach? Are you trying to give meds through a tiny #10 tube that tube feeding go through? Read up. In all my years high residual is the only problem I had.

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

Most of the formulas I give are mixed with water (ex. 8 oz boost with 6 oz water). Since the patient still needs extra water for hydration, would it be possible to water down the Jevity?

[sheronep, MSN, RN]

I recently saw this on my unit. Looked spoiled but wasn't.