How do you verify NG tube placement on your unit?

[digitiminimi]

Do you do anything more than inserting air and auscultating? Please share...

[frankie,RN]

check pH.:)

[digitiminimi]

Are you in a NICU? The reason I ask is because at the NICU I'm at, they verify by auscultating for air in the stomach. I recently did my first NG tube insertion on a preemie and I just wanted to know if there was something more I could have done.

[MLB55]

Not sure in kids, but in our teaching hospital we always get an X-ray.

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

We do air and listen, we don't do xray confirmation unless it is an ND or NJ tube.

[umcRN, BSN, RN]

auscultation for ng, xray for nd

[Bortaz, MSN, RN]

We auscultate for NG/OG placement, and when assessing during the day, we base it on stomach contents being pulled out.

[wooh, BSN, RN]

Peds, we air auscultate and check pH. But checking pH is a huge pain, not because of the extra step, but because almost all of our NG patients are on GER meds. Our GI docs don't think it's necessary. (Our pulmonologists like it though.)

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

At my institution, check pH. If you can't get a sample for pH, an X-ray is required. Per policy, we are not allowed to use auscultation to confirm.

[GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN]

unquestionably, depending on unit or any specific doctors orders, we use ascultation for ng, xray when its' nd or nj.

[Carrig RN]

Auscultation when placed, usually hooked to suction to view contents, confirmed by CXR/KUB. After confirmed by KUB, q4h aspirates/residuals and auscultation of air.

[digitiminimi]

That helps a lot, thanks everyone!