Anorexia nervosa is a serious psychiatric condition with profound physical and mental effects. It frequently leads to hospital admission, and in extreme situations, patients may undergo involuntary treatment. One of the most demanding nursing responsibilities when caring for these individuals is performing nasogastric tube feeding while the patient is physically restrained. It is essential to identify and respond to the distinctive practical and ethical difficulties that nurses encounter when supporting adults with severe anorexia nervosa. The purpose of this study was to develop a richer insight into how registered nurses experience the process of administering nasogastric tube feeding under restraint to hospitalized patients suffering from severe anorexia nervosa. This study followed a naturalistic approach. Data from narrative interviews were examined through reflexive thematic analysis. Twelve registered nurses took part; they were recruited from an inpatient unit specializing in adult eating disorders at a psychiatric hospital in Norway.
Three core themes emerged: delivering high-quality nursing care throughout coercive treatment; experiencing ethical unease regarding nasogastric tube feeding under restraint once the patient’s body mass index is no longer immediately life-threatening; and feeling worried about including staff from a different ward in the nasogastric tube feeding under restraint procedure. Nurses view nasogastric tube feeding under restraint as an essential component of life-saving care for patients with severe anorexia nervosa. Nevertheless, it raises significant ethical questions, particularly when the patient’s body mass index reaches a level of immediate danger. The findings highlight the vulnerability of nurses themselves as well as the complex challenges and moral dilemmas involved in providing nursing care during nasogastric tube feeding under restraint.
