People with G-Tubes, also known as gastrostomy tubes, really have a hard time in enjoying the foods they eat. They can’t simply eat what they want and drink what they want since the G-Tubes are sensitive and are only meant for the right foods that you need to take. To give you an overview of G-tube, it is a “short feeding tube that goes directly into your stomach through a surgical incision called a stoma” according to UPMC website. They are usually soft and bendable since they are placed inside your body. G-tubes are meant for people who lost appetite in eating and those who lacks good nutrition to make them healthy. They can either be handled by your doctor or our registered nurses here at Caring Nurses Services. To know more about how to give care to people using G-Tubes after undergoing surgery, here are the following tips:
Schedule a Meal Plan for them
A meal plan is definitely what they needed. In your first time with using G-tubes in your body, it may be uncomfortable for you and there’s a possibility that you cannot eat well. Placing the G-tube in the body is stressful for the patient’s part. Hence, the reason for having meal plans. This is also for the doctors to know if food or liquid intake is all right or too much.
Make sure that dressing is clean
This is the most important thing to remember when dealing with people with G-tubes. According to Standford Healthcare website, after placement of G-tubes, the dressing is needed in order to keep the tube tightly in place. Changing of dressing should be made daily, before and after every bath. This is to make sure that dressing is clean and fresh. One important thing to remember is that you should only use mild soap and water to clean the tube. Hydrogen peroxide is a definite no-no in order to keep away from side effects that might take effect on your body.
Don’t submerge dressing while bathing them
It’s okay to bathe people with G-tubes. According to Standford Healthcare website, people can be bathed 24 hours after placement of G-tubes. When taking a bath also, remember to remove the dressing before taking a bath and change it after taking a bath so that the wounds due to tube placement will heal quickly.
These are some of the techniques that you need to make sure to deal with people having G-tubes. Although they can still do the usual stuff a few weeks after placing the G-tubes, but still you need to make sure that they are on the right track in maintaining hygiene in dealing with G-tubes. If you still need assistance in handling people with G-tubes, call a medical specialist or hire one of our registered nurses at Caring Nurses Services, your reliable home care agency in Edgewood MD. They are recommended and are trained to handle aftercare of people with G-tubes. Call us at 410-676-2222 or visit our website at www.caringnurse.org. You may also talk personally with our medical staff at Caring Nurses Services here at 260 Gateway Drive, Suite 1-2A, Edgewood, MD 21014.
