NG residuals

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What do you do with your NG residuals? Do you discard or push them back in?

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Depends on the volume of residual & if there are any specific physician orders.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Ewww no we don't push them back in. They go in the biohazard waste disposal.Some patients have a volume replacement order.Usually we track their intake and subtract from the NG output. The balance left over is replaced via IV usually.

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Specializes in Pain, critical care, administration, med.

You always re instill gastric content this disrupts their electrolytes.

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Specializes in Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.

We usually put it back in.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgical ICU.

Depends on the amount, if I am checking TF residuals, and it is under 500 we put it back. If the amount is less than 250 we continue TF is more than 250 we hold TF and recheck in 4hours.. If the pt is not tolerating TF and has a large amount, we connect the NG to suction. This is an example for adults only..

Check your facilities policy, you should have one. Follow your facilities P&P.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Really? I've never seen it put back in. usually our oders are NS for volume replacement.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgical ICU.
Really? I've never seen it put back in. usually our oders are NS for volume replacement.

Yep yep, now for a NGT that is connected to suction, we tend to replace the volume with NS via IV if it is a large amount..

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We record it and put it back in.

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Specializes in MedSurg, ICU.

Put it back! I didn't even know policies could be that dumb not to! Hello electrolyte imbalance!

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical/Float Pool/Stepdown.
You always re instill gastric content this disrupts their electrolytes.

Not necessarily...we pretty much only use NG's for decompression at my facility.

We would replace fluids for a Peg or a g-tube unless generally greater than 200cc depending on the order/communication.

If the output is worrisome enough to deplete electrolytes then we do replacement via IVF.

If the NG is on a clamping trial, then yes, we would put the fluid back in unless the Pt is c/o of nausea or actively vomiting, but then back to suction we would go!

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.
You always re instill gastric content this disrupts their electrolytes.

I've never seen them put back in.

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