Preventing Enteral Misconnections with ENFit Connectors
Misconnections between enteral devices and non-enteral devices (IV, respiratory, urinary, etc.) can cause patient harm and death. There are many ways to prevent enteral misconnections, such as tracing the end of the line to its source. This is not fool-proof, however. Misconnections can still occur, for lots of reasons, including:
Multiple types of lines connected to one patient.
Use of catheters and tubes for unintended purposes.
Connectors that are physically compatible with all types of devices.
Many organizations have worked on addressing this problem.
They decided that making the connection between enteral and non-enteral devices physically impossible was the most effective solution. ENFit® is an FDA-approved solution from safety organizations and manufacturers.
Once you have an ENFit® tube or extension set, you will no longer need the transitional stepped connector.
Visit stayconnected.org for videos on medication administration with a low dose syringe.
If you do not currently receive ENFit® syringes or feeding tubes/extension sets, it may be because your local hospital or your provider of home medical supplies has not yet transitioned to ENFit® devices. Although many U.S. hospitals (and some other countries) have adopted ENFit® to prevent misconnections, many remain in the planning stages. In order to prevent dangerous misconnections, the goal is for all U.S. hospitals and providers to convert from current legacy tubes and syringes to ENFit®. Talk to your healthcare professional or your home medical supply provider if you have questions about your supplies.
Watch a video on ENFit®:
For more information on ENFit® Connectors:
ENFit® is a federally registered trademark of GEDSA.
Used with permission.
My daughter has a feeding tube. It is one that I can put on and take off. We use a slip tip syringe to push meds through the port on it. The company has now switched to a luer lock system. I still have 3 boxes of slip tip syringes. Is there just that connection we can just buy to connect the two so we can still use?