What action should a nurse take for a client experiencing dumping syndrome during intermittent feedings?

Administering a refrigerated feeding is the correct response for a client experiencing dumping syndrome during intermittent feedings. Dumping syndrome can occur when food, particularly high-sugar content, enters the intestine rapidly, leading to symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, tachycardia, and abdominal cramping. One way to mitigate these symptoms is by slowing gastric emptying, which can be achieved when feedings are colder. Cold feedings may help to slow down the digestion process and reduce the likelihood of rapid gastric emptying into the intestines.

In contrast, continuing the feeding as scheduled may exacerbate the symptoms if the feeding is not adjusted to meet the client’s needs. Changing the feeding to a higher concentration could also aggravate the problem by increasing the osmotic load in the intestine, potentially worsening the symptoms. Administering the feeding faster would further contribute to the rapid passage of contents into the intestines, increasing the likelihood of dumping syndrome symptoms. Adjusting the temperature of the feeding to be cooler is a more effective method to provide relief from the discomfort associated with this condition.