Pediatric ATI Practice Exam

What is an important assessment before starting enteral feeding in a child with a newly placed NG tube?

1. Check for bowel sounds.

2. Measure abdominal girth.

3. Verify the correct placement of the tube.

4. Monitor vital signs.

The correct answer is: Verify the correct placement of the tube.

Verifying the correct placement of the NG tube is crucial before starting enteral feeding in a child. Proper placement ensures that the tube is positioned within the stomach rather than in the lungs or esophagus, thus reducing the risk of aspiration, which can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia. There are several methods to confirm placement, including checking for gastric residuals, pH testing of the aspirate, or using imaging studies if necessary. Ensuring the NG tube is safely positioned allows for the successful and secure administration of enteral nutrition. Other assessments, such as checking bowel sounds or measuring abdominal girth, while important in evaluating gastrointestinal function, do not specifically verify the position of the NG tube. Monitoring vital signs is a routine practice but does not directly correlate to the safety and effectiveness of enteral feeding in relation to tube placement. Therefore, confirming that the NG tube is correctly placed is the priority for safe feeding initiation.