Examkin

Question

Difficulty: EasyBasic Care and Comfort

A nurse is preparing to administer an intermittent enteral tube feeding to a client via a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube. Place the following nursing actions in the correct sequence to ensure safe administration.

  1. 1Elevate the head of the bed to 30 to 45 degrees.
  2. 2Check the gastric residual volume.
  3. 3Flush the tube with 30 mL of water.
  4. 4Administer the prescribed enteral feeding formula.
  5. 5Flush the tube again with 30 mL of water.

Answer

The correct sequence is: elevate the head of the bed, check the gastric residual volume, flush the tube, administer the feeding formula, and finally flush the tube again.
Safe administration of enteral feeding requires a logical progression prioritizing client safety. Positioning the client upright comes first to prevent aspiration. Next, measuring residual volume confirms gastrointestinal tolerance. An initial flush verifies tube patency, followed by the actual formula administration. Finally, a post-feeding flush clears the tube to maintain future patency.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Elevate the head of the bed to 30 to 45 degrees.
The client is placed in a semi-Fowler's position.
This is the most important initial safety step to prevent aspiration of stomach contents into the lungs.
2
Check the gastric residual volume.
The amount of undigested formula left in the stomach is measured.
This step determines if the client is tolerating the feedings and prevents overfilling the stomach.
3
Flush the tube with 30 mL of water.
The tube is cleared and confirmed to be patent.
Checking patency before administering the formula ensures the feeding will flow smoothly without blockages.
4
Administer the prescribed enteral feeding formula.
The client receives their prescribed nutrition.
Nutrition can be safely delivered once all safety and patency checks are complete.
5
Flush the tube again with 30 mL of water.
The tube is cleared of all formula residue.
Formula left in the tube can dry, cause occlusions, and serve as a medium for bacterial growth.

Key Concept

Safe administration of enteral tube feedings
Rate this question

Topics

Basic Care and Comfort

More questions from this topic