I posted a question last week about what solution is to be used when irrigating an NG tube and was surprised that no one could quote a source with a definite answer. We had been told by a new nurse that NS was not to be used as the irrigant on a post op patients NG tube because it would alter fluid /electrolyte balance. We all looked it up in our nursing books at home, no book was available on the unit and there was no specific hospital policy. Our nursing books all said NS but most were over 20 years old.
I attempted on online search for info and found several policies from hospitals which listed NS.
Finally we found a recent Lippincott Nursing Procedure Manual on another unit in our facility, for the record, NS is to be used.
Maybe some of the confusion was in the type of tube I meant. OF course with tube feedings water is used, but this was for post op irrigation
Does anyone know of any good online source for nursing procedures? I came up pretty empty.