OG Tubes after Intubation - suction

JBMmom, MSN, NP · May 18, 2019

On 5/17/2019 at 12:09 PM, CVICURNMC said:
Where do you secure the OG tube if not to the ET tube?

This was a recent debate on our unit. Some nurses/Resp therapists don't want them taped to the ET tube, so we generally secure them with tube gauze tied around the neck.

Faith1025, BSN · Jul 6, 2019

On 1/31/2016 at 12:53 PM, Nalon1 RN/EMT-P said:
NG/OG tube placement verification will vary by facility.
Where I am, all intubated patients need a gastric tube hooked up to intermittent suction unless contraindicated (bariatric surgery pts primarily) or direct physician order. We are allowed to hook up suction after insertion with auscultation/aspiration verification, but they do want radiological confirmation at some point.
And just a pet peeve, I hate OG tubes. They are harder to secure (they should not be secured to the ET tube or any ET tube securement devices) and when a patient is extubated, you have to remove the OG tube, and if they are on tube feed or still need the gastric tube, you now need to put a NG in (while they are now awake vs when intubated they were more than likely unconscious or at least heavily sedated).

Agreed! I much prefer to insert a NGT from the beginning. It just seems more considerate of the patient.

I always asked for x-ray verification before initiating feeds. The previous ICU in which I worked did not have a policy/protocol regarding this as it was a teaching hospital and they wanted us to ask the resident what they wanted - they were usually agreeable to a KUB. Usually, if they are needed for such, the patient has been intubated and will be getting a chest x-ray to verify ETT placement anyway, so I try to drop an NGT before they get there to shoot that film and we kill two birds with one stone and verify both at the same time.