Limiting bacterial contamination of enteral nutrient solutions: 6-year history with reduction of contamination at two institutions.

Running enteral nutrient solution (ENS) bacterial contamination logs that were collected over a 6-year time frame are presented. At hospital A, reconstituted ENS were prepared by the pharmacy department in bulk and were frozen in the final container. These solutions were cultured and counted after 12 hours of storage at room temperature to stimulate this institution's hang time. Major reductions in ENS bacterial counts occurred after improvements in sanitation, a reduction in solution hang time, the conversion to the use of sterile water for dilution and reconstitution of ENS, and most dramatically, after the incorporation of a preservative (potassium sorbate) to reconstituted ENS. At hospital B, ENS usage consisted of canned feedings that were prepared by nursing personnel and were transferred to the feeding container at the bedside. Reductions in final counts of contamination of ENS occurred after procedural changes, which included container changes every 24 hours, use of sterile water for dilution, cleansing of can lids with alcohol swabs before use, rinsing and air drying of intermittent feeding containers between feedings, and limiting feeding container fills to 4-hour hang time quantities. At both institutions, the value of an ongoing three-class enteral quality control program with a defined acceptance/rejection criteria was demonstrated in that ENS contamination was reduced to acceptable levels comparable with federal standards for milk and dairy products.