Total nutrient admixtures: stability issues and their impact on nursing practice.

Parenteral nutrition formulations containing lipid emulsion in one container with all other components are known as total nutrient admixtures. These formulations require maintenance of solution solubility and stability as well as emulsion stability. Phenomena associated with emulsion destabilization are reviewed. The multiple factors that destabilize total nutrient admixture formulations are discussed, along with potential nursing implications.