Caring for your tube
Hand hygiene
- Always wash your hands before touching your feeding tube or jejunostomy site.
Flushing your tube
- Always flush your tube with cooled, boiled water before, after and between medicines, and before and after all feeds. Your dietitian will advise you how much water to use.
- If you are not currently using your tube, ensure you flush it at least once per day, with 30mls of cooled, boiled water to keep the tube working.
DO NOT
- Put anything down the tube other than feed, water or medicines. The ward pharmacist will have checked that your medication can safely go down your feeding tube. Follow the instructions given by the ward nurses on how to do this to prevent the tube blocking. If your feeding tube does block, follow the advice in the ‘Your Guide to Using a Feeding Tube at Home’ booklet.
Checking your tube
- If your tube has an external fixation plate, this should be positioned against your skin. Please make a note of the length of your tube.
- If your tube is stitched in place, check the stitches daily. If they have become loose or come out, contact your community nurse, company nurse or dietitian.
Balloon style tubes
If your tube has a water filled balloon, the water will be changed every 2 weeks. Community nurses will do this for you or you may be taught how to do it yourself. The tube will also be changed every 12 – 16 weeks by a nurse at the hospital.
Advancing and rotating your tube
Some jejunostomy tubes need to be advanced and rotated weekly. If this applies to you, you will be shown how to do this. If you are not shown how to do this, please do not try to advance and rotate your jejunostomy tube.
Feeding through your tube
Feed is being given directly into your small bowel (intestine). This part of your gut can hold much smaller amounts than your stomach. This may mean your feed needs to run for longer periods.
Discomfort
- If you experience discomfort, bloating or diarrhoea, check that you have given your feed / water at the volume and rate advised in your feeding regimen. If your symptoms continue or you have difficulties fitting in your regimen around daily activities, contact your dietitian for advice.
Positioning during feeding
- When you are feeding, particularly during the night, ensure you are propped up with pillows. A position of 45 degrees will allow the liquid feed to move through your gut properly reducing the risk of you being sick.
Looking after your skin
- It is important that the jejunostomy site remains clean and dry to prevent any infections. If there are no signs of infection and the site has healed, gently clean the site daily with mild soap and warm water. Ensure the site is dried with a clean towel. If there are stitches at the tube site, carefully clean round them.
- Only use a dressing around your tube entry site if you have been advised by your nurses or doctor. Avoid using cotton wool, talcum powder or creams on your tube entry site.
- If you have any signs of swelling, redness, odour or irritations, contact your community nurse, company nurse or dietitian for advice. Some clear discharge may be present, this is normal.
Tube position
Never put water, feed or medications down the tube if you are unsure of it’s position.
If the position of the tube appears to have changed e.g. moved in and out, or if you begin to experience pain in or around the jejunostomy site, contact your community nurses or feeding company helpline for advice. Do not put anything down your tube if you are concerned about its position.
What to do if the tube falls out
If your tube falls out, you will need to arrange a replacement as soon as possible as the tube entry site can close up completely very quickly. Contact your company nurses to let them know what has happened. It will be necessary for you to attend your nearest hospital. Please take the tube with you so that it can be checked and so that hospital staff know the type and size to replace it with.
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