Experiences and needs of home caregivers for enteral nutrition: A systematic review of qualitative research.
Jingjing Mou, Jianan Sun, Rui Zhang and 3 others
PMID 34273248WHAT IT FOUND
Home caregivers managing enteral nutrition feel abandoned after discharge.
They struggle with tube blockages and medication errors, fearing complications. They need ongoing hands-on training, clear follow-up contacts, and emotional support to safely manage complex daily care at home.
Key findings
01Caregivers frequently encounter tube blockages when administering medications, often resorting to unverified self-managed strategies like using carbonated drinks or hot water.
02Despite receiving education in hospital, many caregivers feel isolated and helpless at home, particularly when complications arise, because they do not know who to contact.
03The burden of enteral nutrition care leads to significant lifestyle changes, including reduced leisure time, sleep disturbances, and social withdrawal for both caregivers and patients.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The review included studies from both developed and developing countries with vastly different health service systems, which may limit the generalizability of the support needs identified. Two included studies were from the same UK research group, potentially duplicating findings and over-weighting specific caregiver experiences. The search was restricted to English and Chinese publications, which may have excluded relevant qualitative data from other linguistic contexts.
Declared interests
The authors declared no competing interests.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that standard hospital discharge education is sufficient for safe home management. The review highlights that caregivers often feel abandoned and resort to unverified, potentially unsafe strategies for managing tube blockages and medications, indicating a critical gap in practical, post-discharge support.