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OcciferOnion1 Asked May 2013

Can a home health aide take care of someone on a feeding tube?

If I bring my mother home from a nursing home while she is still on a feeding tube, would she require a nurse or can a home health aide do that?

TeeTee1585 Apr 2017
That would depend on what state you reside. While Gtube feedings can be managed by CNAs or even family members the fact is the CNA must be trained by an RN and the delegation must be safe. Because each state has its own Board of Nursing that determines what can be safely delegated within the state that would be the place to start. Just because a CNA can do it does not make it safe. Patient's have died from aspiration due to something as simple as a CNA leaving the head of the bed to low and the feeding goes into the lung instead of the stomach.

conmom Jun 2013
My daughter is a C.N.A. and has bee trained to work with feeding tubes, it is helpful if they have hands on practice regularly.Many have permanently in planted tubes but they need cleaning at a regular time and the C.N.A. are trained to to that also.

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ejbunicorn Jun 2013
I see that even at my age of 53 I need to do a living will as my mother has already done, no feeding tubes, no life support of any kind is what she wants and me too, When God calls me home I want to go, I do not want to be kept alive with tubes of any other equipment, everone I guess has to make that choice, will keep you in my prayers,God Bless

ferris1 Jun 2013
Yes (to the home health aide) as long as the person has the qualifications to do so. It is really easy and you can be taught how to do it too. When I visited patients in home I handled feeding tubes and ostomy bags (retired nurse).

IsntEasy Jun 2013
I was actually asking the original questioner, LilDebb39, but your response illustrates what I'm wondering about which is, if they're sending her home, why doesn't the nursing facility remove the feeding tube?

HOUSEhold6 Jun 2013
ALS, feeding tube temporary? No mam. The Dr's sent her home to die. I called Muscular Dystrophy Association, they made her an appointment, immediately put her in the hospital, set up hospice. It was not temporary, she could not eat.

IsntEasy Jun 2013
Is her prognosis such that the feeding tube is considered temporary?

HOUSEhold6 Jun 2013
When my mother was hospitalized from ALS, Lou Gherrigs and had a feeding tube put in, the nurse gave my father directions on how to care and feed mom. He took care of her about a month until hospice came in.

ejbunicorn Jun 2013
Just my opionion but I would rather have a nurse

Madeaa Jun 2013
Good advice from 1tired. I would ask her doctor, and I would ask if I could be trained by him to do it. I assume this is a short term issue. I would also have a visiting nurse come once a week to check up on her till she is fully up and mobile. That's my take.

1tired Jun 2013
Many home health people have feeding tube certification. When you interview ask the agency for ppl with that. Learning the feeding tube is not hard and I was taught very quickly when we tried to bring mom home. You should learn how to do it too for a back up in case a HHA does not show for some reason anyway. Good luck , it is not as scary as it sounds.

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