Abstract
Due to the mandatory transition from the existing connectors (legacy feeding devices) to new connectors (International Organization for Standardization 80369-3) from December 2019 to November 2021, we surveyed the characteristics of facilities' inpatients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) who required tube feeding, and the physical burden on clinicians' wrists using the existing connectors. We sent 2 types of questionnaire to the chief managers of 39 facilities in western Japan by e-mail: one for the chief manager, inquiring about the characteristics of SMID inpatients who required tube feeding, and another for clinicians concerning the physical burden on their wrists. We received responses from 29 chief managers (response rate: 76.3%) and 1,082 clinicians out of 2,039 total clinicians in 29 facilities (response rate: 53.1%). The surveyed inpatients included 252 (21%) under 20 years old, 402 (34%) receiving blenderized tube feeding, and 304 (26%) requiring venting with syringes, resulting in a total of 1,194 inpatients with SMID who required tube feeding. These characteristics were found to be factors increasing the number of attachment/detachment actions performed in our previous research. Regarding clinicians' burden, 538 (50%) had experienced wrist pain with syringe feeding, and 20% of these (110 clinicians) had consulted the doctor for their wrist pain. Administration in 412 (77%) and filling in 335 (62%) were the top actions with which clinicians felt wrist pain during syringe feeding. The existing connectors have funnel-type designs that are easy to attach and detach, whereas the new connectors have a screw lock design that are hard to attach and detach. Thus, transitioning to new connectors may impose more physical burden on clinicians.
