ENFit Syringes

ENFit syringes are used to give medicines and fluid by mouth and through enteral feeding tubes. Your child will get the ENFit syringes to take liquid medication by mouth or by extension set, long tube (PEG), NG tube, or G tube feeding device. Oral syringes used during inpatient hospital stays or clinic visits at St. Jude will also be ENFit syringes.

NOTE: Some medications can’t be given through a feeding tube. Your doctor or pharmacist will let you know how to give those medications.

ENFit syringes help keep your child safe. Some medicines and formulas can only be given by mouth or through a feeding tube. The ENFit syringe is made only to connect to the tubing of your child’s enteral feeding tube. It cannot connect to other types of tubing. The ENFit syringe helps to keep medicines and other fluids from accidentally being given through an IV into the bloodstream.

ENFit syringes come in different sizes. If your child has a feeding tube, the ENFit syringe connects to your child’s feeding tube by a purple ENFit connector.

Filling the ENFit syringe using a bottle adaptor

A medication bottle adaptor is needed to use the ENFit syringe with regular medication bottles. An ENFit bottle fill cap or bottle insert can be used to fill the syringe.

A bottle adaptor or fill cap goes on the medication bottle to fill the syringe.

Person placing enfit syringe in fill cap of bottle

Person holding bottle upside down with syringe

Place the bottle adaptor or fill cap on the medication bottle and insert the ENFit syringe.

Invert the medicine bottle and fill the syringe with the correct dose of medicine.

Filling the ENFit syringe using a medication cup

Some ENFit syringes have a low dose tip. Low dose tip syringes include 0.5 mL, 1 mL, 3 mL, and 6 mL syringes. These syringes have an area around the syringe tip called a moat. Always check that the moat is free of medication to prevent giving too much medicine.

ENFit syringe with a standard tip (no moat)

ENFit syringe with a low dose syringe tip (with moat)

If you are drawing up medication from a medication cup with a low dose tip syringe, use a DoseMate attachment to draw up the dose. If the DoseMate is not used, this can cause you to give too much medicine or cause an overdose.

A DoseMate attachment can be used with the ENFit syringe to draw up medication from a dispensing cup.

Using ENFit syringes

Follow these steps to make sure that you give the correct dose of medicine:

ENFit syringes cannot be used with regular medication bottle caps. Check your child’s medication bottle to confirm the correct (purple) bottle fill cap is in place.

With a bottle adaptor: To draw up medication from a bottle with an adaptor, attach the syringe directly to the bottle adaptor and give without a DoseMate attachment.
With a medication cup: If using a medication cup with a low dose tip syringe, attach the syringe to the DoseMate attachment before drawing up the medication.

How to give medicine using an ENFit syringe:

Pull the syringe plunger to bring the correct dose of medication into the syringe.
Make sure there are no air bubbles in the syringe. Tap or flick the tip of the syringe before you give the medication.
Wipe any medication or fluid from the outside of the syringe tip. Check that the syringe moat is free from medication.
If the medication has been drawn up using a DoseMate attachment, the dose can be given with or without the attachment. Do not attach the DoseMate attachment after the dose has already been drawn up into the syringe. This will cause a loss of 0.06 – 0.1 mL of the dose.
If your child has a feeding tube, attach the ENFit syringe to the (PURPLE) feeding tube connector and give the medicine as instructed. Use a new ENFit syringe to flush the medication after it has been given.
Clean or discard the syringe after use as instructed.

If you have questions about the ENFit syringes or giving medicines or fluids through a feeding tube, please talk to your nurse, pharmacist, or dietitian.

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Reviewed: July 2024

Childhood Cancers