Nurse Helps Patients Manage Feeding Tubes

DANBURY — Suzanne Healy has been an expert on feeding tubes long before they were in the national headlines. A Danbury Hospital RN, she specializes in the care and maintenance of feeding tubes for patients in the hospital’s Endoscopy Unit. Yet her expertise goes well beyond the clinical. As the mother of a child born with a variety of developmental problems, including a heart defect, Suzanne’s 15-year-old daughter was nourished through a tube for 14 years.

“Patients like knowing about my daughter because they can see I’ve been on both sides of the issue,” says Ms Healy. “Both my personal and clinical experience have taught me how to best troubleshoot problems, such as cleaning or unclogging the tube. I also know how to put patients at ease when it comes to the emotional side of wearing this device. I assure them that it will help keep them well, and I offer options such as smaller tubes that fit snugly under clothes.”

Feeding tubes are given to a variety of patients, mainly those who have trouble swallowing, continually aspirate when eating, or have difficulty maintaining proper nutrition due to oral cancers. Tubes can be placed through the nasal passageway for short-term use, or can be placed directly into the stomach through the abdominal wall via a Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) tube. Introduced in 1980, today more than 200,000 patients every year receive this form of therapy.

A recognized resource in PEG care in the Danbury community, Ms Healy visits nursing homes and has trained Danbury Visiting Nurse Association nurses on the best way to treat PEG patients at home. She demonstrates limitless patience when teaching her patients and is happy to share her knowledge with co-workers, often providing in-services on different aspects of the tube.

According to her manager, Cathy Kean, RN, Ms Healy approaches each day with renewed enthusiasm and a willingness to find an even better way to care for those she serves.

 “Her patients have access to her around the clock, as she readily offers her home phone number and email address to anyone who desires her expertise beyond office hours,” said Ms Kean. “To ensure consistency and high-quality care, she has taken it upon herself to create a variety of written materials, including PEG protocols and discharge instructions. While there are many nurses who do a great job in caring for patients, Suzanne’s level of commitment and willingness to do whatever is necessary for patients and co-workers is extraordinary.”

Suzanne Healy’s passion for her profession is still going strong after 30 years as an RN.

“I feel so lucky to be involved in something that keeps my interest,” she said. “It’s rewarding to have a body of knowledge that I can share to help make someone’s life a little more pleasant.”