What is enteral nutrition quizlet? A comprehensive guide for students and professionals

October 18, 2025 •

4 min read

According to resources like Quizlet, enteral nutrition is any feeding method that uses the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to deliver caloric requirements. It is often preferred over intravenous (parenteral) feeding because it is safer, less expensive, and helps preserve the gut's normal function. Understanding what is enteral nutrition quizlet resources highlight can help students and healthcare providers master this critical topic.

Quick Summary

This article explains enteral nutrition, its various delivery methods, and clinical indications for use, including comparisons to parenteral nutrition and discussions of potential complications. It draws from common educational resources like Quizlet, which aid in student and professional learning.

Key Points

Definition: Enteral nutrition (EN) is any feeding method that uses the GI tract to deliver nutrients, typically via a tube, when oral intake is insufficient.
Indications: It is used for patients with impaired swallowing, altered consciousness, or hypermetabolic states who have a functioning GI tract.
Tube Types: Delivery methods involve tubes placed through the nose (NG, NJ) for short-term use or surgically placed tubes (PEG, J-tube) for long-term feeding.
EN vs. PN: EN is generally safer, less expensive, and preserves gut function, while parenteral nutrition (PN) bypasses the GI tract entirely and carries a higher infection risk.
Key Complications: Major risks include aspiration pneumonia, gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea, tube clogging, and metabolic imbalances.
Nursing Care: Proper nursing care involves tube management, patient positioning to prevent aspiration, infection control, and monitoring for complications.

Understanding the Basics of Enteral Nutrition

Enteral nutrition (EN) is a method of delivering nutrients directly to the digestive system, either orally or via a feeding tube, when a person cannot meet their nutritional needs through regular food intake. The term "enteral" literally means 'via the gut'. Educational platforms like Quizlet frequently feature flashcards and study sets on this topic, defining it as nourishment given through a tube or stoma directly into the stomach or small intestine. This approach is used when the GI tract is functional but the patient is unable to eat or swallow safely, such as after a stroke or due to head and neck cancer.

Indications for Enteral Nutrition

Several clinical conditions necessitate enteral nutrition to prevent or treat malnutrition. The indications are typically determined by a nutritional assessment that weighs the risks, benefits, and costs of intervention. Common reasons for starting EN include:

Dysphagia (impaired swallowing): Often seen in stroke patients or those with neurological disorders.
Altered level of consciousness: Including comatose patients or those with severe head trauma.
Mechanical ventilation: When a patient is unable to orally consume nutrients.
Head or neck cancers: Causing oropharyngeal or esophageal obstruction.
Gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction: For conditions like Crohn's disease, or to feed distal to an obstruction.
Hypermetabolic states: In cases of severe burns, trauma, or sepsis, where caloric needs are exceptionally high.

Types of Enteral Access and Formulas

Enteral nutrition is administered through a variety of routes, with the specific method depending on the anticipated duration of feeding and the patient's clinical needs.

Common Enteral Access Routes:

Nasogastric (NG) tube: A tube inserted through the nose into the stomach, suitable for short-term use (less than 4-6 weeks).
Nasojejunal (NJ) tube: Placed through the nose into the jejunum (small intestine), used for patients with gastric issues or a high risk of aspiration.
Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) tube: A surgically placed tube directly into the stomach, ideal for long-term feeding.
Jejunostomy (J) tube: Placed directly into the small intestine, often used when the stomach is not functioning correctly.

Delivery Methods:

Continuous feeding: Administered over 24 hours via a pump, ensuring a constant flow of nutrients.
Intermittent feeding: Infused over a specified time period, multiple times a day, mimicking a more natural eating pattern.
Bolus feeding: Delivering a larger volume of formula over a short period, typically several times a day.

Comparison of Enteral vs. Parenteral Nutrition

It is crucial to understand the distinction between enteral and parenteral nutrition, as discussed in various medical and nursing resources, including Quizlet.


Feature	Enteral Nutrition (EN)	Parenteral Nutrition (PN)
Route of Administration	Through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.	Intravenously, bypassing the GI tract.
GI Tract Function	Requires a partially or fully functioning GI tract.	Used when the GI tract is non-functional.
Cost	Less expensive than parenteral nutrition.	More expensive due to preparation and administration.
Infection Risk	Lower risk of systemic infection due to utilizing the gut's natural barrier.	Higher risk of infection, especially with central venous lines.
Nutrient Delivery	Requires the GI tract to digest and absorb nutrients.	Delivers pre-digested nutrients (glucose, amino acids, lipids) directly into the bloodstream.
Gut Health	Helps preserve the gut's mucosal barrier and normal function.	Can lead to gut atrophy due to lack of use.

Potential Complications and Nursing Care

While safer than PN, enteral feeding is not without risks. Healthcare professionals must be aware of potential complications to provide appropriate care, a topic often emphasized in nursing education materials found on platforms like Quizlet.

Mechanical Complications: Tube-related issues such as clogging, misplacement, or accidental dislodgment are common. Correct placement verification is crucial, especially for initial insertion.
Gastrointestinal Complications: These can include diarrhea, constipation, nausea, and vomiting. Dietitians adjust formula composition to manage these issues.
Aspiration Pneumonia: A potentially life-threatening complication where gastric contents enter the lungs. Elevating the head of the bed during and after feeding is a key preventive measure.
Metabolic Complications: Electrolyte imbalances or refeeding syndrome can occur, especially in severely malnourished patients. Careful monitoring is necessary.
Peristomal Wound Infection: With G-tube or J-tube placement, infection at the insertion site is a risk that requires careful hygiene and monitoring.

Nursing care for enteral feeding involves managing the administration, preventing complications, and educating patients. This includes maintaining tube patency, ensuring proper head elevation, and providing thorough mouth care. For long-term feeding, patient education is vital for safe self-management at home.

Conclusion

In summary, enteral nutrition is a critical method of providing nutritional support for patients with a functional GI tract who are unable to consume adequate calories orally. Educational resources like Quizlet effectively distill the essential information regarding EN, covering its definition, indications, administration methods, and potential complications. By understanding these foundational concepts, healthcare students and professionals can provide safer, more effective nutritional care. The continued use of the gut through enteral feeding provides significant advantages over parenteral methods, making it the preferred route whenever clinically feasible.

Visit the Cleveland Clinic for more information on tube feeding

Frequently Asked Questions

Enteral nutrition uses the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to deliver nutrients, either orally or via a feeding tube, while parenteral nutrition delivers nutrients directly into the bloodstream intravenously, bypassing the GI tract entirely.

The main advantage is that enteral nutrition is generally safer and less expensive, and it helps maintain the health and normal function of the gut, which can atrophy with prolonged disuse.

Common complications include aspiration pneumonia, gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea or constipation, mechanical problems such as tube clogging or dislodgment, and metabolic abnormalities.

A person who has a functional GI tract but cannot consume enough food orally is a candidate. This includes individuals with dysphagia, altered consciousness, certain cancers, or those in hypermetabolic states.

To help prevent aspiration, the head of the patient's bed should be elevated to 30-45 degrees during and for a period after feeding.

Common types include nasogastric (NG) tubes for short-term use, and surgically placed tubes like Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) or Jejunostomy (J) tubes for longer-term feeding.

Quizlet flashcards on enteral nutrition often contain definitions, indications for use, comparisons to parenteral nutrition, and nursing considerations such as complication prevention and tube management.

No, enteral nutrition requires a functional GI tract. If there is a complete bowel obstruction, parenteral nutrition would be necessary as enteral feeding is contraindicated.