Pediatric G-tube

[PedsPDN]

i'm a private duty nurse with a newly acquired pediatric patient. it would seem pediatrics is becoming my specialty but this is only my second case. my question is...

isn't there usually some type of order specifying the need to check for residual on all patients with a g-tube? especially in the case of peds because children cant/wont usually tell you how they are feeling (i.e. full, gassy, bloated etc.)

[caliotter3]

There should be an order. I check anyway. You can send a note to the doctor or call the office with the suggestion. It was most likely an oversight.

[DDRN4me]

There should be an order, such as "hold feeds for residual of greater than 60cc"

if not call the doc and request. I would always check residuals anyway as good nursing practice.

[Shanny246]

My son had a feeding tube, and I never checked residual. The GI doctor told me that pulling back on his feeding tube with a syringe would cause irritation in his stomach. A great way to get the gas out is to attach a 60 cc syringe to the feeding tube without the plunger in it. Hold the syringe upright and lean the child forward as if you are about to pat his/her back to burp him/her...you will see the air bubbles coming up and it will escape through the syringe, then let the food go back down and close off the g tube.

http://akratiri.com/images/60ccSyringe.jpg

[Lorie P.]

check the 485 ( plan of care) it should tell you how often to check residual and when to hold feedings and when to call the doc.

or it not, call the office of the gi doc and get ann order. also check the d/c summary given after the gt was placed.