60 Second Tube Feed Stop********

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Please explain to me why is it that nurses fail to use any common sense or stop to think about why they do the things they do.....for example, exactly what do you accomplish by stopping tube feeding; (whether DHT, Peg Tube, G-Tube, NGT) for 60 seconds while making a pt. supine in order to reposition them in bed, then sitting them back up to resume the Tube Feeding. With a Tube Feeding rate of 60cc/hr, that would prevent 1 cc from infusing......this will hardly prevent aspiration. The Tube Feeding should be stopped 1 hour in advance, then residual should be checked prior to putting a pt in supine postion......I'm sure that is what everyone is doing.......the old phrase 'well that's what everyone else does'.......just ain't good enough.......

Specializes in CVICU-ICU.

Dutchgirl....I agree 100% with your last post...and I never mind checking a order with a MD and I really dont care if he gets upset with me and I agree that we need to do it to protect ourselves and our patients. The underlying question is how do we get the nurses that are afraid to question the MD to begin to do it when we can't start with the little stuff between nurses and open up the field for reasoning within our own scope of practice.

Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.
The underlying question is how do we get the nurses that are afraid to question the MD to begin to do it when we can't start with the little stuff between nurses and open up the field for reasoning within our own scope of practice.

We can take advantage of situations to try to educate. Such as when talking about an error we've heard about and using it as an opportunty to discuss the importance of questioning a doctor, not being afraid to question and possible consequences when we don't. Some things are beyond our control and if despite knowing what should be done and yet choosing not to question a doctor, that person will have to be responsible for their actions and the consequences of their actions. We can lead a horse to water but we cannot make them take a drink. I think that's why the nurse was fired, not because he ran the med at the wrong rate. If that was so there would be one h*** of a nursing shortage because we all make mistakes.

Specializes in CVICU-ICU.

I agree we all make mistakes but I think he lost his job because the patient lost her life over the incident and his lack of knowledge and his lack of self confidence to question a MD.

Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.
I agree we all make mistakes but I think he lost his job because the patient lost her life over the incident and his lack of knowledge and his lack of self confidence to question a MD.

Ultimately the patient lost her life due to the mistake made by the doctor, the pharmacist and the nurse equally. Lack of knowledge was evidenced by everyone by writting, dispensing and following the order. The difference with the nurse was choosing not to question the doctor because doctors don't like to be questioned. That why he was the only one to lose his job. He wasn't merely the scapegoat, he was wrong.

Okay, I've had enough now. I'm about cross-eyed with fatigue. That's my final answer. If you disagree, cool, we'll just have to agree to disagree. Good Night. Sleep Tight.

Specializes in CVICU-ICU.

Goodnight..and I totally agree with you as to the reason he lost his job....sorry if I didnt express myself that way.

+ Add a Comment