Nursing needs its leaders to respond to Francis
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How do you check the position of a naso-gastric tube? What do you think?
The National Patient Safety Agency has repeated a warning on the risk of harm posed by flushing nasogastric tubes before confirmation of placement.
The rapid response report said nothing should be introduced down the tube before gastric placement has been confirmed; nurses must not flush the tube before gastric placement has been confirmed; and internal guide wires or stylets should not be lubricated before placement confirmation.
The NPSA said it was aware of three incidents, two of which resulted in death, since the alert went out where staff had flushed tubes with water before initial placement was confirmed.
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From Behind the Rituals
Why do you do the things you do? How much of nursing practice is based on ritual and myth and how much on sound evidence? If you have a ritual you’d like to discuss here, email nursingtimescomments@emap.com
Readers' comments (4)
Anonymous | 28-Apr-2012 11:18 am
why would any registered nurse or authorised person wish to pass any fluid down an NG tube before first checking its position?
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Anonymous | 29-Apr-2012 11:27 am
i was aware that live web chat on this topic was on but i missed it is there a recording any where of the web chat please thanks
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Anonymous | 30-Apr-2012 5:23 pm
God forbid what have we come to. How can anyone introduce anything down an NG tube without checking its position.It could be catastrophic
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eileen shepherd | 1-May-2012 4:59 pm
Thank you for your comments. This is the link to the web chat transcripts
http://www.nursingtimes.net/opinion/webchats/webchat-archive/
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