Which description best defines continuous tube-feeding administration?

Which description best defines continuous tube-feeding administration?

• A. Intermittent bolus feeding given every 4 hours
• B. Intermittent gravity drip over 1 hour
• C. Continuous via gravity drip or infusion pump for 24 hours
• D. Cycled feeding during the day only

Answer: (C)

Continuous tube-feeding administration means delivering enteral nutrition in a steady, uninterrupted flow over an extended period, typically 24 hours, using either a gravity drip or an infusion pump. This approach provides a constant rate of delivery rather than discrete portions, which helps with tolerance and ensures a reliable energy supply. The other patterns—feeding given as intermittent boluses every few hours, a short-duration gravity drip over one hour, or feeding cycled only during the day—do not provide continuous delivery over a full day, which is why they don’t define continuous feeding.

Continuous tube-feeding administration means delivering enteral nutrition in a steady, uninterrupted flow over an extended period, typically 24 hours, using either a gravity drip or an infusion pump. This approach provides a constant rate of delivery rather than discrete portions, which helps with tolerance and ensures a reliable energy supply. The other patterns—feeding given as intermittent boluses every few hours, a short-duration gravity drip over one hour, or feeding cycled only during the day—do not provide continuous delivery over a full day, which is why they don’t define continuous feeding.