Question

A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving continuous enteral feedings via NG tube. The nurse notices that the tube feeding has stopped infusing. What is the nurse's priority action?

a) Flush the tube with water
b) Check for kinks in the tubing
c) Increase the rate of the feeding
d) Administer prescribed medications

Answer 1

The nurse's priority action should be to check for kinks in the tubing of the NG tube when enteral feeding has stopped infusing, followed by flushing the tube with water if no kinks are found.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a nurse caring for a client with a continuous enteral feeding via NG tube notices that the feeding has stopped infusing, the nurse's priority action is to check for kinks in the tubing. This is the first and most common reason for an interruption in infusion. If there are no kinks, flushing the tube with water would be the next step to ensure the tube is not clogged. Adjusting the rate of the feeding or administering prescribed medications would not be appropriate initial actions for resolving an infusion stoppage.