NG tubes help!

Yes You should check placement everytime, not by x-ray. However you can aspirate or give a small air bolus and ausculate sounds over the stomach.

You check by listening for the "whoosh" by injecting air, and by aspirating the contents. The radiography is done only with the initial placement of the tube, or if the above checks are negative.

Good luck.

I've only used radiography for initial placement of Dobhoffs, but not NGs.

Radiography is the preferred method of verification. Mark the tube at the exit of the mouth or nares with indelible ink at the time of the radiographic verification. This mark's location should then be verified prior to any flushes or such. (read about it in the August issue of Critical Care Nurse)

they're teaching us in school that you should check ng by:

1. x-ray (i've yet to see this in clinicals)
   
2. ph indicator strip (should be 4 or less for gastric aspirates-- never seen this done either)
   
3. injecting air

good luck! i think you should know these in order for testing purposes. but for the "real" nursing world-- it's a different story!

Most places don't use pH indicators anymore r/t the common use of gastric acid reducers, such as Protonix, Pepcid, etc.

most places don't use ph indicators anymore r/t the common use of gastric acid reducers, such as protonix, pepcid, etc.

ah, that's a very good point! i didn't even think of that being the rationale. i'm not challenging you by any means, please don't think i'm doing so-- but according to all of my nursing books, this is the order you should do it in (of course, on those darn tests, we have to pretend we have all of the resources available). i'm just thinking of testing/nclex purposes.

thanks so much!

dani