Question

The nurse caring for a client with dysphagia is attempting to insert an NG tube, but the client will not swallow and is not gagging. What action should the nurse implement to facilitate the NGT passage into the esophagus?

Answer 1

To facilitate NG tube insertion in a client with dysphagia, the nurse could use repeated swallowing motions with water or saliva and position the client's head forward. Triggering the swallowing reflex during the esophageal phase helps guide the tube into the stomach.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse caring for a client with dysphagia who is not able to swallow while attempting to insert an NG tube could facilitate the passage of the tube by encouraging the client to swallow repeatedly with the help of small sips of water, provided there are no contraindications for doing so. If water is not permitted, the nurse could ask the client to mimic the act of swallowing or to swallow saliva. It is also beneficial to ensure the client's head is tilted slightly forward, which aligns the esophagus and helps ease the passage of the NG tube into the esophagus rather than the trachea.

Dysphagia is a medical term for difficulty swallowing, and it can interfere with the NG tube (nasogastric tube) insertion process. During the esophageal phase of swallowing, the muscular action initiated by the medulla oblongata propels the bolus toward the stomach, and assistance in swallowing can trigger these reflexes, helping the NG tube to follow the natural path of the bolus into the stomach.