Question

Which statement about a patient with a tube feeding indicates best practice for patient safety & quality care?

A) if the tube becomes clogged, use 30 mL of water for flushing, while applying gentle pressure with a 50 mL piston syringe
B) when administering medications, use cold water to dissolve the drug before administering it
C) use cranberry juice to flush the tube if it is clogged
D) administer drugs down the feeding tube without flushing first, but flush the feeding tube after the drug is given

Answer 1

Best practice for tube feeding safety and quality care involves using water to flush a clogged tube, with gentle pressure applied via a piston syringe.

Step-by-step explanation:

The accurate statement about a patient with a tube feeding that indicates best practice for patient safety & quality care is: "A) if the tube becomes clogged, use 30 mL of water for flushing, while applying gentle pressure with a 50 mL piston syringe."

This practice ensures that the tube remains clear and functional, which is necessary for delivering nutrition and medication safely. Using cold water for medication (option B), employing cranberry juice to flush the tube (option C), or administrating drugs without flushing first (option D) do not reflect standard best practices in clinical care.