Final answer:
A practical nurse aspirates for gastric residual volume before tube feeding to confirm proper digestion and prevent complications like aspiration pneumonia. Aspirating checks for delayed gastric emptying, which can result in stomach contents entering the lungs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Prior to administering a prescribed tube feeding to a client with a gastrostomy tube, a practical nurse would aspirate for gastric residual volume to ensure that the previous feeding has been adequately digested and to prevent potential complications such as aspiration pneumonia. Aspirating for gastric residual involves using a syringe to draw out stomach contents through the gastrostomy tube. This is an important step because a high volume of residual may indicate delayed gastric emptying, which can lead to reflux and aspiration of stomach contents into the lungs, a situation which could necessitate the Heimlich maneuver to prevent choking. Assessing gastric residual volume helps to ensure that it is safe to administer additional feeding.