What is ATI's basic concept on addressing physical limitations with feedings?

ATI’s basic concept on feedings related to physical limitations include the following: Individual feeding plans for patients with physical or functional problems that decrease their ability to take foods and fluids. Key aspects include:

 Assessment of Limitations: Assessing the particular aspect of feeding that may be restricted due to certain possible physical disabilities including dysphagia, motor abnormalities or cognitive abnormalities. This assessment assist in identifying the best feeding method and any interferences that should be made.

 Individualized Feeding Plans: Preparing individualized meals that can be eaten by the patient with regard to the disabilities that the patient is having. This may be done by changing the texture and consistency of foods, employing specific utensils to feed the patients.

 Alternative Feeding Methods: Feeding techniques to be used when oral feeding is impossible or not advisable. This can include:

 Enteral Feedings: Embedding nutrients through nasogastric (NG) tubes, gastrostomy (G-tube), or jejunostomy (J-tube) fed directly to the gastrointestinal tract.

 Parenteral Feedings: Feeding patients with nutrients that are administered intravenously for those patients that can not digest nutrients through the stomach and intestines.

 Safety and Comfort: To ensure feeding methods are safe for the patient and comfortable for the patient also. This also comprises assessment for complication such as aspiration, confirmation of tube’s position and comfort measures to avoid harm to the patient.

 Patient and Family Education: Enabling the patients and their families to understand about other feeding techniques as well as if the tubes were in use, how to assess for complications or problems that might arise with the feeding tubes.

 Monitoring and Adjusting: Liaison for nutrition care planning and evaluation of feedings as needed in order to make changes in the patients feeding plan to address the patient’s needs.