npo question

[julezzz26]

if a pt is npo and wants to chew gum is it ok? thanks.

[Trigeminy, RN]

I personally don't see see a problem with them chewing gum as long as they are able to and they don't swallow it. It is supposed to help with peristalsis and we use chewing gum with some of our colectomy patients, but its ordered by the physician.

[ilstu99]

if a pt is npo and wants to chew gum is it ok? thanks.

Our med-surg floor allows sugar free gum, sugar free hard candy and Cepacol lozenges. If that's not acceptable, it's ordered as "strict NPO."

[Guitar_Heroine]

I suppose it matters why they're NPO. I had a surgeon once tell me that chewing gum increases gastric secretions by quite a bit

[ADNOLOL08]

I suppose it matters why they're NPO. I had a surgeon once tell me that chewing gum increases gastric secretions by quite a bit

I've heard the same as well, from a nurse I worked with during a summer program. At my hospital, NPO means absolutely nothing by mouth. If there are exceptions made by the physicican, such as ice and meds, it will be specified.

[sirI, MSN, APRN, NP]

Interesting article from anesthesia-analgesia.org:

http://www.anesthesia-analgesia.org/cgi/content/abstract/102/2/415

[ohmeowzer RN, RN]

NPO means nothing by mouth, i wouldn't give gum or anything... i had a pt ask me if she could chew gum this week , she was about to have surgery and she told me she was anurse and she was begging for gum. i told her no NPO means nothing by mouth, she was really put out ... to bad NPO before surgery means NPO , then i hear she went to the gift shop and tried to buy gum by the lady wouldn't let her buy it because she was a patient.....

[Burnt Out, ASN, RN]

I consider them NPO if they are NPO. No gum, ice or meds unless specified by the doc.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

NPO means exactly that, unless exceptions are specified by MD. I don't give NOTHIN' unless it's specified; we do allow damp swabs to provide for oral hygiene without an order, of course. Ice, gum, meds: have to be ok'd by MD or they're not going in.

[miko014]

I had a pt who had tube feeding simply because she couldn't swallow food (esoph ca), but she liked to suck on hard candy. When I did a residual, it was blue, and at first I was like what the-----jevity isn't blue! Then I realized she was sucking on the candy and it turned the stuff blue - it was pretty funny! So, like someone else, it depends on why they are NPO. If it's something like that, and they are A&O and able to have something like gum or candy in their mouth without choking, then fine. But if it's because they are going to have a test or surgery, I get it okayed by the doc first.

[suzanne4, RN]

If a patient has an order for NPO, then anything that you give to them needs an order. You can never just assume that it would be okay.

And it is true that gastric secretions are increased with the chewing of gum or sucking on hard candies, even if they are only in the mouth. Amnd this can cause issues for some patients.

[SDS_RN, RN]

When my mom went in for surgery she chewed gum that am and anesthesia was not happy at all they told her it essentially is the same as having a full stomach.

I would not give an NPO pt anything unless you have an order for it.