Green, Susan, Townsend, Kay, Jarrett, Nikki and Fader, Mandy (2019) The experiences and support needs of people living at home with an enteral tube: a qualitative interview study. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics. (doi:10.1111/jhn.12656).
Abstract
Background
The number of people with an enteral tube (ET) living at home is increasing globally and services to support them to manage this complex and life‐changing intervention vary across regions. The present study aimed to gain an understanding of the experiences of people living at home with an ET and their carers, as well as to explore their views of supporting services and ET‐related hospital admissions.
Methods
A qualitative inductive descriptive design was employed. Semi‐structured, face‐to‐face interviews with a purposive sample of people with an ET living at home and carers were undertaken. Interviews were transcribed, initial codes were assigned for salient constructs, and these were then grouped and developed into themes and sub‐themes.
Results
Nineteen people with ETs and 15 carers of people with ETs were interviewed. Five themes were generated: home better than hospital, feelings about the tube, living with the tube, help when you need it and cost for health service. Participants indicated the ET significantly influenced daily life. Participants described becoming used to coping with the ET at home over time and developing strategies to manage problems, avoid hospital admission and reduce resource waste. Variation in supporting services was described.
Conclusions
People with ETs and their carers need considerable support from knowledgeable, responsive healthcare practitioners during the weeks following initial placement of the ET. Twenty‐four hour services to support people with ETs should be designed in partnership with the aim of reducing burden, negative experience, waste and hospital admissions. National frameworks for home enteral nutrition could set the standard for support for people with ETs.
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- Faculties (pre 2018 reorg) > Faculty of Engineering and the Environment (pre 2018 reorg) > Southampton Marine & Maritime Institute (pre 2018 reorg)
- Current Faculties > Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences > Institute for Life Sciences > Biofilms
Institute for Life Sciences > Biofilms - Faculties (pre 2018 reorg) > Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences (pre 2018 reorg) > Institute for Life Sciences (pre 2018 reorg)
Current Faculties > Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences > Institute for Life Sciences > Institute for Life Sciences (pre 2018 reorg)
Institute for Life Sciences > Institute for Life Sciences (pre 2018 reorg) - Current Faculties > Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences > School of Health Sciences
School of Health Sciences - Current Faculties > Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences > School of Health Sciences > Nursing, Midwifery and Health > Adult Health
School of Health Sciences > Nursing, Midwifery and Health > Adult Health
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