How long is it reasonable to leave someone NPO for?

How long is it reasonable to leave someone NPO for with just IV fluids, no TPN or enteral feeds. I'm been searching, and I'm having a hard time finding evidence to answer this question.
Evidence, I cant help you with.Around my parts, @ 3 days something needs/begins to be done. And I feel like thats 2x too long. Itd be interesting to see if there is any evidence based practice for this. Good Question.

Since you mention the IVF/TPN/enteral feeds, are you meaning from a nutritional standpoint? Hopefully they'd only be NPO as long as their condition warrented. But as one NP said to a pt he was admitting at ~02:00, "Here in the South, we feel like we're starving if we don't eat every 6hrs."

I have a patient that has been NPO for a week. She is confused and has failed two swallow studies. The family refuses for her to have a peg tube placed but agreed to a PICC for TPN. However, when the PICC nurse came she refused. There was a big debate over whether or not she was competent to refuse but she hasn't had anything to eat for a week. Tonight she wanted a banana, which I could not give her, of course, but I did give her thickened liquids. She did okay with them but is still complaining she is hungry. It's a thin line we walk in comforting our patients and doing what is best for them (i.e. being NPO).

3 days then they get the attention of the RD.

I had a family member that had surgery on Tuesday had a small amount of a few clear liquids meals and a few bites of solid before he got an ileus and was made NPO on Friday and was npo until the following Tuesday. He had IV fluids the whole time. One person on the medical team said they don't consider TPN until day 10 but another doc was talking about TPN on the 6th day but after a procedure the ileus resolved and he could eat day starting with clear liquids on day 7.

Quote from denice142I have a patient that has been NPO for a week. She is confused and has failed two swallow studies. The family refuses for her to have a peg tube placed but agreed to a PICC for TPN. However, when the PICC nurse came she refused. There was a big debate over whether or not she was competent to refuse but she hasn't had anything to eat for a week. Tonight she wanted a banana, which I could not give her, of course, but I did give her thickened liquids. She did okay with them but is still complaining she is hungry. It's a thin line we walk in comforting our patients and doing what is best for them (i.e. being NPO).

Quote from Kooky KorkyDumb question - if she can handle thickened liquids, couldn't she handle a banana?

Since you mention the IVF/TPN/enteral feeds, are you meaning from a nutritional standpoint? Hopefully they'd only be NPO as long as their condition warrented. But as one NP said to a pt he was admitting at ~02:00, "Here in the South, we feel like we're starving if we don't eat every 6hrs."

OP-very good question indeed. I work in the OR and this has been a concern of mine when we have had to delay a scheduled afternoon surgery for an emergency case. If I am dealing with a pediatric patient and have to delay their surgery for an e-case, then I will ask the attending to simply reschedule the surgery so that the poor kid can eat already. However, your question seems to be unrelated to a surgical consideration, and I don't want to take away from your thread.I will look up and ask my fellow co-workers. I don't know the answer, but should. I work with a wonderful GI doc that will probably have an answer. I will email him now and ask for some evidence based articles. I will forward to you in a PM.

Quote from canesdukegirlOP-very good question indeed. I work in the OR and this has been a concern of mine when we have had to delay a scheduled afternoon surgery for an emergency case. If I am dealing with a pediatric patient and have to delay their surgery for an e-case, then I will ask the attending to simply reschedule the surgery so that the poor kid can eat already. However, your question seems to be unrelated to a surgical consideration, and I don't want to take away from your thread.I will look up and ask my fellow co-workers. I don't know the answer, but should. I work with a wonderful GI doc that will probably have an answer. I will email him now and ask for some evidence based articles. I will forward to you in a PM.

Quote from blondy2061hHow long is it reasonable to leave someone NPO for with just IV fluids, no TPN or enteral feeds. I'm been searching, and I'm having a hard time finding evidence to answer this question.

You can provide adequate fluid and electrolytes via IV, but the nutritional needs for protein are ongoing and get depleted gradually over time. 3 days is the rule of thumb that I have always used. Then the person needs to be evaluated for ability to tolerate PO foods if not then TPN vs. G Tube.