Patient compliance with a home parenteral nutrition program.

A systematic study of patient compliance to home parenteral nutrition (HPN) was done by an independent nurse who visited 10 patients and families at varying periods after HPN had been started. A compliance scale was based on assessment of aseptic technique, sequence of steps followed, safety precautions, proper use of equipment, and knowledge of complications. Compliance percentiles ranged from 73 to 97, with a median of 95. Seven of the 10 patients scored 90% or more in overall compliance. The only category that clearly showed a deficiency was patient knowledge of potential complications of HPN. Factors that correlated positively with a high compliance score were male sex, absence of children in the home, and wives who were enthusiastic about HPN and who offered the most moral support. This study shows that patients with chronic disabling diseases of the small bowel and severe malnutrition can be managed safely at home with HPN if they are properly trained and supervised.