med_geek

Hi all, I have a question about what type of water you use for flushing and administering meds via NG/OG tubes. At the ICU in the hospital I am currently at, we are required to use sterile water ONLY. However, the rest of the hospital uses regular tap water. The theory is that critical care patients are often immunocompromised and so have a higher risk of acquiring an infection from tap water than other patients. I find it much easier to dissolve crushed meds in warm water (which is impossible when using sterile water). I have been looking into nursing journals for research, but I was curious as to what you do on your units. Thank you in advance!