How do you mark the length of the feeding tube

NeoNurseTX, RN · Oct 28, 2008

Ours have CM marks on them.

Imafloat, BSN, RN · Oct 28, 2008

Ours have cm marks, we have to verify that the tube is taped at the correct cm mark every feed. I sometimes put a dot with a sharpie on the tube at the proper place, especially if the cm mark is on the underside of the feeding tube. Some people secure them with white cloth tape, others secure them with a piece of duoderm on the skin and then a piece of tegaderm over that. I have also seen a tender grip used to secure them, especially if a kid is on a nasal cannula too.

SteveNNP, MSN, NP · Oct 28, 2008

We use a tiny piece of pink tape to mark it. Most people here clean the skin, then place a strip of duoderm on the cheek, then the tubing, then cover it with a strip of tegaderm.

BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN · Oct 28, 2008

Ours have cm's on them also. If we are using a repogly or salem without markings we measure it, mark it with a piece of white tape.

We put duoderm(the thin stuff) and then opsite, unless the kid is big puller then he gets a chevron of white tape like how we tape the OET also.

chescat58, RNC-NIC · Oct 28, 2008

Thanks, we have cm marks as well, I guess what I was asking and some answered how to mark, most of you answered piece of tape. On the purple tubes, it is very difficult to read the cm marks and what the number is.

We have found that folks here secure tubes differently and would like to make it more consistant.

Thank you for your replies and please keep them coming.

NeoNurseTX, RN · Oct 28, 2008

Thanks, we have cm marks as well, I guess what I was asking and some answered how to mark, most of you answered piece of tape. On the purple tubes, it is very difficult to read the cm marks and what the number is.
We have found that folks here secure tubes differently and would like to make it more consistant.
Thank you for your replies and please keep them coming.

For securing, 95% of the time I see just Tegaderm on the skin. If the baby is on a cannula or intubated, the NG is usually taped on the cheek with whatever is holding the NC or ETT in place (neobar for ETTs). Every now and then you see a chevron of white tape added on.

heartwort · Oct 29, 2008

I use a skinny piece of pink tape at the insertion site. Pink tape sticks well.

You have to watch for slippage on babies that get slimy. I have found a piece of transpore tape in a baby's mouth before when it was used to mark an OG tube. Tegaderm and transparent bio adhesives will allow slippage pretty easily.

Just about all tubes are marked with cms these days. There's nothing that beats checking the marking on the tube every time but it only makes sense if nurses document the cm marking each shift for the next nurse to check against.

Preemienurse23 · Oct 30, 2008

our feeding tubes have cm marks on them. Our sumps dont, and some nurses measure them and mark them with tape or a sharpie, or you get a nurse who dosent mark it.

heartwort · Oct 31, 2008

our feeding tubes have cm marks on them. Our sumps dont, and some nurses measure them and mark them with tape or a sharpie, or you get a nurse who dosent mark it.

I forgot about sumps/replogles. The ones I've used are marked every 5 cms. Weighted tubes (usually placed in the duodenom) aren't marked either.

A good way to verify those tubes for sure is to measure from the distal end to the insertion site.

LuvaBSNRN, BSN, RN · Dec 11, 2008

We generally mark with a sharpie and secure with Hypafix - one piece to chevron along with a piece on top if its an OG or a piece on the side of the face if it's an NG.

kangarooyou · Dec 12, 2008

Hi :)

Lots of different ways I have seen in our unit...if tiny baby on the vent....OGT, I use two pieces of steri strips over a piece of duoderm on chin...one across, one chevron, works pretty well...I have seen some people use the ETT velcro and put it with that...I think that is a very NOT good idea :)

If big kid or NGT....use 2 pieces of tegaderm, one skinny one go from under nose, over the tube to the cheek, and then a slightly bigger piece goes over the end of the little one and the cheek....wow, hard to explain hehe, hope you see what Im saying?

Some people do put the duoderm first with tegaderm over the top of that.

Always check that tube is in place before a feed, by checking cm mark...auscultating first...oh...and if a tube has been in for a few days...making sure that it the right cm's in by re measuring on your own :)