Re: NG tube irrigations

Nurses General Nursing

Published

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.:o

Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
Originally posted by rstewart

I am assuming that the original poster's question refers to the routine maintenance of an NG tube post-op; (ie. What solution should be used to keep an NG tube patent when hooked up to suction?)

This question strikes a chord because several years ago I was chastised by a charge nurse (What nursing school did you graduate from etc.....) when I was observed irrigating an NG tube with warm tap water to maintain patency. I was given a lengthy potential for severe electrolyte imbalance lecture.

Why in the world were you lectured for this? Humans drink water, therefore it's safe, right? I would think that if the patient were at risk for electrolyte imbalance and had a lot of NG output, he would be on IVFs. Also, if he's hooked up to suction, it stands to reason that whatever you flush it with for patency, it's going to get sucked out with everything else. It just seems to me that if you were to use NS for the sodium content to avoid electrolyte imbalance, wouldn't you have to clamp the NG to actually give it time to absorp? Otherwise, it seems like it would be useless. I dunno, maybe that's just me...:confused:
Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

The main way we check tube placement is the gastic content aspiration and pH testing.

I know it's been established that checking for tube placement with air, but when part of a skill is checking the placement before med administration, irrigation, etc, are you supposed to get X ray to come up to check tube placement everytime?

Not meaning to sound smarty, but i'm wondering what's to be done now?

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