New feeding tube connectors, designed by an international standards process, will be available soon and will improve patient safety. According to an invited review published in the OnlineFirst version of Nutrition in Clinical Practice (NCP), the official journal of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN), the new connectors will greatly reduce the occurrence of misconnection that can be harmful and even fatal to patients.
Small-bore connectors, which are used to join medical devices, components, and accessories to deliver fluids or gases, can allow misconnections with other medical devices. Serious patient harm, including death, can occur if fluids, medications, or nutrition formulas intended for the gastrointestinal tract are administered via the wrong route.
"This has been a serious concern for decades and one for which we have long advocated for a solution," says Peggi Guenter, PhD, RN, senior director of clinical practice, advocacy, and research affairs for ASPEN and author of the review. "Our mission is to ensure that feeding systems for patients are as safe and effective as possible. We are honored to play a vital role in helping to bring this advance about and to inform the healthcare community about its availability."
The new connectors were designed by an International Organization of Standardization (ISO) standards development process. ISO is the global standard for governments, purchasing organizations, manufacturers, and users.
Standards for a newly designed connector will provide greater ability for different manufacturers' devices to integrate, while making it difficult, if not impossible, for unrelated delivery systems to be connected. A phased approach will start with enteral devices as early as fourth quarter 2014.
"It is important that providers begin planning now to use these new connectors when they become available to ease the transition," says Guenter. "Clinicians should seek education and information from appropriate resources and work with their suppliers to see when these connectors will be available to their institution or agency."
Additional information on the developing small-bore connector standards is available at http://www.nutritioncare.org.
Source: American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
Stay prepared and protected with Infection Control Today's newsletter, delivering essential updates, best practices, and expert insights for infection preventionists.
Reducing Hidden Risks: Why Sharps Injuries Still Go Unreported
July 18th 2025Despite being a well-known occupational hazard, sharps injuries continue to occur in health care facilities and are often underreported, underestimated, and inadequately addressed. A recent interview with sharps safety advocate Amanda Heitman, BSN, RN, CNOR, a perioperative educational consultant, reveals why change is overdue and what new tools and guidance can help.
New Study Explores Oral Vancomycin to Prevent C difficile Recurrence, But Questions Remain
July 17th 2025A new clinical trial explores the use of low-dose oral vancomycin to prevent Clostridioides difficile recurrence in high-risk patients taking antibiotics. While the data suggest a possible benefit, the findings stop short of statistical significance and raise red flags about vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), underscoring the delicate balance between prevention and antimicrobial stewardship.
What Lies Beneath: Why Borescopes Are Essential for Verifying Surgical Instrument Cleanliness
July 16th 2025Despite their smooth, polished exteriors, surgical instruments often harbor dangerous contaminants deep inside their lumens. At the HSPA25 and APIC25 conferences, Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH, and her colleagues revealed why borescopes are an indispensable tool for sterile processing teams, offering the only reliable way to verify internal cleanliness and improve sterile processing effectiveness to prevent patient harm.
The Next Frontier in Infection Control: AI-Driven Operating Rooms
Published: July 15th 2025 | Updated: July 15th 2025Discover how AI-powered sensors, smart surveillance, and advanced analytics are revolutionizing infection prevention in the OR. Herman DeBoard, PhD, discusses how these technologies safeguard sterile fields, reduce SSIs, and help hospitals balance operational efficiency with patient safety.
Targeting Uncertainty: Why Pregnancy May Be the Best Time to Build Vaccine Confidence
July 15th 2025New national survey data reveal high uncertainty among pregnant individuals—especially first-time parents—about vaccinating their future children, underscoring the value of proactive engagement to strengthen infection prevention.