Nestle HealthCare Nutrition in the US has launched a new initiative to promote safer medication delivery through an enteral feeding tube in hospitals.

The Be A.W.A.R.E. initiative, based on the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition’s (ASPEN) Enteral Nutrition Practice Recommendations, is designed to increase awareness and knowledge of the simple steps needed to increase patient safety among medical professionals.

The campaign also promotes ending bad practices such as failing to flush enteral feeding tubes before or between medications, administering multiple drugs together and improperly diluting liquid medication.

The campaign will be implemented in hospitals across the US to help reduce the risk of medication errors and improve patient outcomes.

Nestle Nutrition head of medical affairs Carol Siegel said medication delivery errors are a serious problem, requiring the attention and collaboration of hospitals, healthcare professionals, quality improvement groups and manufacturers to improve patient safety.

“We are committed to raising awareness about safe tube-feeding practices,” Siegel said.