Time to Read: About 2 minutes This information explains what you can do to prevent aspiration when you’re eating, drinking, or tube feeding. Aspiration is when food or liquid goes into your airway instead of your esophagus. Your esophagus is the tube that carries food and liquid from your mouth to your stomach. Aspiration can happen when you’re eating, drinking, or tube feeding. It can also happen when you’re vomiting [throwing up] or when you have heartburn. You may be at risk of aspiration if you have trouble swallowing. This is because food or liquid can get stuck in the back of your throat and go into your airway. Aspiration can lead to pneumonia, respiratory infections [infections in your nose, throat, or lungs], and other health problems. Signs of aspiration include: You and your
caregiver should watch for these signs before, during, and after you eat, drink, or tube feed. If you have any of these signs, stop eating, drinking, or tube feeding. Call your healthcare provider right away. Follow these guidelines to prevent aspiration when you’re eating and drinking by mouth: Figure 1. Sitting up at a 45-degree angle Follow
these guidelines to prevent aspiration if you’re tube feeding: To help prevent aspiration, it’s important to pace your feedings. Follow the guidelines below during your feedings to make sure you’re not taking in more than you can digest: If you have any questions, call your Clinical Dietitian Nutritionist at
212-639-7312 or Nutrition Advanced Practice Provider [APP] at 212-639-6984. Contact your healthcare provider if you have any of the following: If you’re having problems breathing or any other emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room right away. About Aspiration
Signs of aspiration
Preventing Aspiration
Back to topPacing Your Feedings
When to Contact Your Healthcare Provider
1.1.ID: 18668361607
Which of the following may be delegated to nursing assistive personnel [NAP]?
A. Administering medication through a feeding tube.
B. Administering a tube feeding. Correct
Administration of enteral tube feeding is a procedure that can be delegated to
NAP [usually seen in a long-term care facility]. The assessment for the presence
of peristalsis and verification of tube placement should be performed by a nurse
before the feeding. Instruct NAP to position patient upright in bed or chair and to
infuse feeding slowly [in case of bolus and intermittent feedings]. Have NAP
immediately report any difficulty infusing the feeding or any distress experienced
by patient. The skill of administering medication through a feeding tube or of
inserting an NG feeding tube requires the critical thinking and knowledge
application unique to a nurse and may not be delegated.
C. Verifying feeding tube placement.
D. Inserting a nasogastric [NG] feeding tube.
E. Assessing for peristalsis.
Awarded 1.0 points out of 1.0 possible points.
2.2.ID: 18668361609
A patient has a nasogastric feeding tube. The nurse is aware of the need to monitor the
patient for potential complications. Which of the following symptoms, if demonstrated by the
patient, would potentially indicate the greatest risk related to tube feedings?
A. Diarrhea.
B. Dyspnea. Correct
Aspiration, generally from tube displacement, is the greatest risk related to tube
feedings. Diarrhea may be an unexpected outcome, and abdominal distention
may be an indication of intolerance of the formula feedings. A patient with an NG
or nasointestinal [NI] tube may complain of throat irritation from the presence of
the tube in the nasopharynx, but this does not pose a risk.
C. Abdominal distention.
D. Throat irritation.
Awarded 1.0 points out of 1.0 possible points.
3.3.ID: 18668361293
The nurse just inserted an NG feeding tube. The health care provider's order states to
administer all meds per tube and a continuous feeding of Isocal at 30 mL per hour. The order
also states to check the patient's blood glucose every 6 hours. When can the nurse begin to
instill feedings, water, or medications through the feeding tube?
A. Immediately after placement is verified by pH testing.
B. When the patient's blood glucose is verified to be within normal limits.
C. When tube placement has been verified by x-ray film. Correct