A nurse is preparing to administer a dissolved oral medication through a client's established nasogastric (NG) tube. To reduce the risk of complications, in what order should the nurse perform the following actions? Arrange the steps from first to last.
- 1Elevate the head of the bed to at least 30 degrees.
- 2Verify the correct placement of the nasogastric tube.
- 3Flush the tube with 15 to 30 mL of sterile water.
- 4Administer the dissolved medication into the tube.
- 5Flush the tube again with 15 to 30 mL of sterile water.
Answer
The correct sequence is to position the client, verify tube placement, perform an initial flush, administer the medication, and perform a final flush.
To reduce the risk of potential complications such as aspiration and tube occlusion, the nurse must follow a strict sequence. First, elevating the head of the bed prevents reflux. Second, verifying placement ensures the tube is not in the respiratory tract. Third, an initial flush confirms the tube is patent. Fourth, the medication is administered. Finally, a post-flush clears the tubing, preventing blockages and ensuring complete medication delivery.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Safe administration of medications via a nasogastric tube requires a systematic approach to prevent aspiration (positioning and placement verification) and maintain tube patency (flushing before and after).