Question

A nurse is administering a tube feeding for a patient who is post-bowel surgery. When attempting to aspirate the contents, the nurse notes that the tube is clogged. What would be the nurse's next action following this assessment?

a.Flush the tube with warm water
b.Use a larger syringe for aspiration
c.Attempt to push the clog into the patient's stomach
d.Notify the healthcare provider

Answer 1

The nurse should first attempt to flush the feeding tube with warm water, and if unsuccessful, notify the healthcare provider for further advice.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a nurse encounters a clogged feeding tube in a patient post-bowel surgery, the first action should generally be to flush the tube with warm water. This may help to dislodge or break up the clog. If that action does not resolve the issue, the next steps would often include using a syringe to apply gentle pressure to push the clog through or using a specifically designed declogging tool, but caution must be taken not to apply too much force which could cause harm. If these measures are unsuccessful, the nurse should then notify the healthcare provider for further instructions. It is important not to attempt to push a clog into a patient's stomach as it could cause harm or exacerbate the situation. Always follow the facility's protocols and guidelines on handling such situations.