Using Abdominal Massage to Reduce Gastric Residual Volume Among Critically Ill Patients by Nurses in a Tertiary Health Institution in Jos Metropolis, Plateau State
One of the major problems of hospitalized critically ill patients is nutrition. Meeting the daily nutritional requirements to prevent malnutrition and problem related to it. Early enteral feeding is recommended as first line of nutrition therapy for critically ill patients, although enteral feeding is often complicated with intolerance and aspiration as a result of high gastric residual volume. Abdominal massage is a technique used in improving digestive function. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and practice of abdominal massage as a means of reducing gastric residual volume (GRV) in critically ill patients among nurses and doctors. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional and non-experimental study. This study sample comprised 73 nurses in the units where critically ill patients are kept such as Intensive Care Unit (ICU), High Dependency Unit (HDU), Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU), and Neuro-Surgery department of Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos. Questionnaire was the instrument used to elicit responses from the respondents. The study was carried out within the ambit of the range of ethics considerations. Convenience sampling technique was adopted in gaining access to the participants. Findings from this study reveal the importance of the use of abdominal massage, and the non-practice of the method in addressing abdominal problems, even though, awareness of it was high. Reasons attributable to use of other means such as aspiration of excess GRV with NG tube were provided. There was poor knowledge of the signs of high GRV that would necessitate abdominal massage. Keywords: Abdominal massage, critically ill patients, nurses, gastric residual volume, DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/10-14-03 Publication date:July 31st 2020
