Education materials for home nutrition support consumers.

Parenteral and enteral nutrition (PEN) are life-sustaining therapies that can be administered in the home. They are also complex therapies, with many facets about which patients and caregivers must learn. Once home on PEN, the patient assumes much of the responsibility for day-to-day care. Although patients are trained in many aspects of home PEN management before they leave the hospital and often again upon arrival home, there is much to retain and put into practice. Many health care facilities, companies, and nonprofit organizations create home PEN patient education materials. In 1993 and 1995, directories were created to list the home nutrition support materials that were available. The 1995 directory has been updated and appended to this article. This directory was created in the spirit of the original: to encourage communication and the exchange of information between individuals and institutions.