hallk008

They did the chest x-ray at 6 am and it said the tube was in her stomach, but her nurse bathed her and repositioned her after that, so that might be when it happened. My shift starts at 7. Respiratory came in and checked the cuff pressure and she said it did need inflated a little bit. Her nurse did tell me when I was giving her report last night that she could have aspirated when they layed her flat. Maybe she forgot to put the feeding pump on hold. I don't know, but I do know I heard the air coming from around her ET tube. I'm so confused about all this lol.

Okay, I am a graduate ICCU RN. I have only been practicing for about 6 weeks. I have a nurse that supervises everything I do. Well, today I went to assess my patient who is intubated and also has on OG tube. I checked tube placement and heard the air coming around her ET without my stethoscope. I went and got my preceptor and she listened and told me not to put anything else into the OG tube because she thought it was in the lung. Once, the pt coughed I was holding the piston syringe and when she coughed it almost pushed out the pushy-part of the syringe (can't think of what it's called lol). Well, I suctioned her and it looked like the Jevity that she had been getting. The night shift nurse was still there so I went and asked her how long it had been since her feeds where turned off (we were gonna extubate her today, but that didn't happen thanks to this accident). She said that it was not possible for the OG tube to go in the lung because the ET tube was in place and it would have busted the cuff of the ET tube if it was in the lung. BUT I know what I saw and know what I heard, and all the other day shift nurses said it could happen. The night before her lungs were clear and she was ready to be extubated and this morning they were nasty with ronchi everywhere. I know she aspirated! The night shift nurse said she couldn't have. So, anyway, my question is can an OG tube go into the lung with the ET tube in place?? Thanks, Kim