Question

A charge nurse is evaluating a plan of care that a newly licensed nurse developed for a client who is to receive a continuous NG tube feeding. Which of the following intervention should the charge nurse ensure is part of the plan of care?

A) Elevate the head of the bed to 30 degrees
B) Change the NG tube feeding bag every 12 hours
C) Administer the tube feeding at room temperature
D) Irrigate the NG tube with sterile water every 4 hours

Answer 1

The most critical intervention in the care plan for a client receiving continuous NG tube feeding is to elevate the head of the bed to 30 degrees to prevent aspiration and facilitate feeding. Other practices should align with facility policies concerning feeding bag changes, feeding temperature, and tube irrigation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The charge nurse ensuring that the plan of care for a client to receive a continuous NG tube feeding is accurate and comprehensive should include several critical interventions. Among these, the most important is to elevate the head of the bed to 30 degrees. This elevation helps to prevent aspiration, reduces the risk of pneumonia, and facilitates feeding by aligning the stomach and esophagus favorably. Other practices, like changing the feeding bag every 24 hours (not every 12 hours), administering the tube feeding at room temperature to avoid gastrointestinal discomfort, and irrigating the NG tube, should align with the facility's policies, which often suggest using tap or sterile water based on risk factors for infection and the type of feeding being administered.