Feeding tube question!!

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Hello everyone.

If you know anything about feeding tubes, I'd like your opinion on this one!

I am not a nurse at all so that is why I came for some advice!

To me, switching from a NG tube to a G-tube is a completely different medical situation.

If you've been perscribed night nursing by a doctor for a NG tube, wouldn't your insurance want you to resubmit for a new letter/referral when the G-tube was placed?

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

i would like to help you but i am so confused.

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I wanted to add something I forgot!!

Also, do you think it would be medically necessary to have a night nurse watch a pediatric patient every night in their home if their only condition was the G-tube?

I see why it would be needed for the NG.. but not sure why one would think the G tube has the same "risks"

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sorry queen!

it basically all has to do with night nursing.

i know a ped patient who got the NG tube in september. His doctor wanted night nursing for him.

when the claim was resubmitted for insraunce for the new year, the OLD letter was handed in. Even though he got the G-tube in December

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

oh things are making more sense now. there are many children that are at home with g-tubes and all sorts of medical needs. however, i am not a pedi nor a home health nurse so i will leave this to the experts. i saw g-tubes and clicked on it cause i am a geri nurse...good luck to you.

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I guess I don't understand the situation at all either. Why exactly do they have an NG/G tube? If the medical condition that they've got is the reason for the feeding tube then perhaps no... it wouldn't matter which feeding tube is being used for insurance purposes just the fact they have the feeding tube.

Of course, I honestly haven't heard of night nursing for JUST a NG tube or a G tube. Feeding through either tube is pretty much the same unless you are saying they have to place the NG tube every night and now with the G tube they aren't.

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failure to thrive is the reason he has the tube.

the doctor has said that yes he needed the nurses for the NG but she did not prescribe them for the Gtube. She wants to know who is referring them because her patient's mom is not handing over the paper.

We learned the paper is OLD and is still being used by the nursing agency as the referral.

I am sorry this is so confusing ;/

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we don't know this kiddo's med'l condition.

it may warrant close monitoring...

esp if s/he has gerd and is at risk for aspiration.

leslie

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Specializes in geriatrics / peds private duty.

The issue with the feeding tube - NG or G - may be aspiration precautions. This may validate the need for night nursing.

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

pammydell. . .i am an rn. i can't tell you about insurance company policy, but i do now about n/g tubes, g-tubes and tube feedings. an n/g tube is only a temporary feeding solution for someone who cannot eat orally. a g-tube is a more permanent and long-term solution. as with any medical device and treatment (tube feedings) there can be complications. if tube feeding is being given during the night then there is a concern for a complication called aspiration which is a serious life threatening situation where the patient accidentally breathes the tube feeding formula, which has backed up into their food pipe, into their respiratory track, can choke, suffocate and die because they can't get the oxygen they need to live. this would require the skill of a licensed, trained nurse to monitor the tube feeding and care of the g-tube. this nurse would know exactly what to do if the person accidentally breathed the tube feeding into their breathing track.

i put together some websites for you that have information about the different kinds of g-tubes that can be inserted, tube feeding, and another serious complication called aspiration pneumonia. please read this information.

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Depends on the diagnosis. I've yet to see home nursing care approved for just NG or G tube feeds. Something else has to be going on. NG feeds, it would be insisted that the parent learn to drop it. G-tube is even easier, no placement checks, just hooking it up to whatever.

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