Which is correct method admin meds via GT

[Kashia]

I have not found this explained on previous posts.

Patient has GT with 12 hr continous feeding fibersource and two 250cc bolus

during other 12 hrs.

Medications are crushed and administered via GT.

There is no lopez value on this tubing.

My technique : During feeding if meds are due, I stop feeding first, and disconnect feeding tube entirely flushing with 30cc water to clear line in the Gastric tube. I slowly push in crushed diluted meds directly into larger GT.

then I restart feeding.

Another nurse said I should just pause feed, use the feeding tube side port and administer medication directly into the feeding tube port ( this is the standard tubing attached to bag )which means 1)medication would be going directly into the fibersouce, and 2) feeding tube is smaller and more likely to clog?....then resume feeding after I have

pushed meds into tubiing.

added information:

The question is more which part of which tubing to use, would you use smaller feeding tube that has a small port on side ( the one attached to feeding bag, much smaller ) OR disconnect feeding tube that is plugged into main GT and use the main GT?

Thanks for all those who have replied. I think I am doing it safe my way from what you are all posting. thank you

[GardenDove]

This is how we do it at my facility also. We are supposed to give each med one at a time but most nurses "cocktail" the meds and just give them all together to save time. All of our T.F. patients have orders to flush with 30cc of h2o before and after each med unles they can not tolerate the fluids for some reason.

I can think of no rationale contraindicating pushing all the meds in at one time, since they end up in the same stomach anyways, can you? It's not like a 7 course meal, after all.

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

I dont think it makes any difference as long as you have a clear port before and AFTER administration. Remember if you dont use enough flush afterward you may have a residual settle in the end of the tube and if its not flushed out it will clog up the tube like concrete. We have had to have the doctor replace tubes because they werent flushed properly after med administration.

[Kgodfrey]

I am nursing student, in my second semester, and we arre studin GI right now....our book says to stip the feeding, flush the tube with 30cc of sterile solution, give the med, flush the tube again, start the feeding back after 30 min. These is to insure the patency of the tube and allow the medication time to absorb.....Is this right? I don't know...but thats how I understand it.