Total Parenteral Nutrition<\/strong> (TPN), also known as total nutrient admixture (TNA), is a method of feeding individuals who are unable to obtain adequate nutrition through oral intake or enteral feeding (feeding through the gastrointestinal tract). TPN provides all the necessary nutrients a person needs directly into the bloodstream through a central venous catheter.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTotal Parenteral Nutrition and IV admixtures and their compatibility issues may be short-term or long-term nutritional therapy, and may be administered on acute medical floors as well as in critical care areas. The caloric requirements of each patient are individualized according to the degree of stress, organ failure, and percentage of ideal body weight. TPN is used with patients who cannot orally ingest or digest nutrition (Triantafillidis & Papalois, 2014). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
TPN may be administered as peripheral parenteral nutrition (PPN) or via a central line, depending on the components and osmolality. Central veins are usually the veins of choice because there is less risk of thrombophlebitis and vessel damage (Chowdary & Reddy, 2010). According to Chowdary & Reddy (2010), candidates for TPN are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n