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The Global Enteral Device Supplier Association (GEDSA) recently released a position statement about the ongoing effort to prevent enteral misconnections. The timeline for manufacturers to release enteral syringes and feeding tubes with the ENFit enteral connector has changed.
ENFit Connection Recap:
- When enteral tubing is accidentally connected to non-enteral tubing (enteral misconnections), patient harm may result.
- One example of enteral misconnection is a feeding tube connected to an intravenous line.
- ENFit is a solution to improve patient safety by preventing enteral devices from being accidentally connected to non-enteral devices.
- The transition of current enteral devices (feeding sets, syringes and feeding tubes/extension sets) to the new connection system will occur in phases.
- The 2015 timeline showed feeding sets changing in the first quarter, syringes changing in the second quarter and feeding tubes changing in the third quarter of 2015.
- GEDSA is now recommending a new timeline to accommodate manufacturer delays (see below), which extends the process into 2016.
Happening Now: Feeding Administration Sets
- Administration sets for feeding pumps have already started the transition.
If you use:
- You may already be receiving feeding sets with the new ENFit connection.
Compat® pump
- You may start to see feeding sets with ENFit in May or June.
Kangaroo™ Joey or ePump™
- You should start to see feeding sets with the ENFit connection in May or June.
Kangaroo™ gravity set
- You should start to see gravity bags with ENFit by the end of June.
Delay: Enteral Syringes and Feeding Tubes
Due to unexpected delays in production of syringes with the ENFit connection, the timeline for syringes and feeding tubes may be delayed.
The new schedule is as follows:
First Quarter (January – March) 2016
- Enteral-specific syringes with ENFit tip
- Enteral Feeding tubes with ENFit connectors
California Legislation on Tubing Misconnections
It is unclear how the delay will affect current California legislation that requires acute care facilities to prevent tubing misconnections by January 1, 2016. It is possible that the delay in the timeline will prolong the enforcement of CA Assembly Bill (AB) 1867, which:
- Requires acute care facilities to develop, implement and comply with patient safety plans to prevent adverse events associated with misconnecting intravenous, enteral and epidural lines
- Prohibits acute care facilities from using an intravenous or enteral feeding connection that would fit into a connection port other than the type for which it was intended
For more information visit stayconnected.org
