Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 77%
Simulated
Passage / Scenario
Adolescent with an NG tubeA nurse is preparing to administer an enteral feeding to an adolescent who has an NG tube. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?
Correct answer
A
Rationale
The correct answer is A: Check the pH of the gastric secretions. This is the first action the nurse should take to ensure proper placement of the NG tube in the stomach. Checking the pH helps confirm that the tube is in the stomach and not in the lungs or esophagus, reducing the risk of aspiration. It is a critical safety measure before administering enteral feeding.
Incorrect choices:
B: Attaching the feeding bag tubing - This should come after verifying tube placement to prevent complications.
C: Flushing the tube - Flushing can be done after verifying tube placement and before feeding.
D: Setting the administration rate - This should only be done after the tube placement is confirmed to avoid complications.
Incorrect choices:
B: Attaching the feeding bag tubing - This should come after verifying tube placement to prevent complications.
C: Flushing the tube - Flushing can be done after verifying tube placement and before feeding.
D: Setting the administration rate - This should only be done after the tube placement is confirmed to avoid complications.