TPN and NPO

[julie978]

this is a :new nurse: question, but should a pt who is NPO for a procedure have their TPN stopped? From nursing school I just remember NEVER STOP THE TPN, have D5w available to hang if it is stopped. But........of course now that I am out of school 1 yr 4 months later, I am told to do otherwise. (the order for NPO did not specify anything about TPN)

hummm, can anyone clarify this for me??? I thought the whole reason for NPO was so the pt did not aspirate on gastric secrections with anethesia...and tpn goes thru a c-line.

Thanks for your help! :)

Julie

[lady_jezebel]

I've never heard of stopping TPN before a procedure. Could it be b/c of the way it affects labs (either renal/liver, glucose, or electrolytes)? I'd like to know, too.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

You're right. NPO means nothing by mouth. TPN and IV fluids may continue to run if a patient is NPO for surgery or a procedure. :)

(Tube feeds via peg on an NPO person should be stopped.)

[BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN]

The only time we stop the TPN is prior to surgery, then we hang fluids with lytes.

[zacarias, ASN, RN]

Also, generally if one does stop TPN, you have to hang D10 (not D5). TPN has a high sugar content so hanging D10 when you stop TPN will hopefully prevent glycemic problems. Of course, if they're weaning a patient off TPN they just gradually slow down the infusion rate to achieve the same effect.