Which of the following are considered the lowest risk candidates for initiation of parenteral nutrition PN in the home setting?

• A. Infants
• B. Teenagers
• C. Intravenous drug abusers
• D. Diabetic patients

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that initiating parenteral nutrition at home is safest when the patient has reliable support, understands and can follow complex care instructions, and can maintain stable metabolic and infection risk with supervision. Teens often fit this better than the other groups because they’re generally more capable of grasping the care regimen, maintaining routines, and seeking help when issues arise, especially with caregiver support and structured school or home environments in place. They tend to have fewer caregiver burdens than infants, fewer high-risk behavioral considerations than intravenous drug abusers, and can be prepared for the metabolic management needed with PN, reducing infection and complication risks.

Infants require intensive, ongoing professional oversight and can have higher infection and growth-monitoring needs, making home PN more challenging. Intravenous drug abusers have elevated risk for line infections and social/behavioral barriers that complicate home management. Diabetic patients require meticulous, ongoing glycemic control and can be at higher metabolic risk if home monitoring is inconsistent.