Nasogastric No local or national clinical guidance should tubes are not amend this requirement. flushed, nor are guidewires pre-lubricated, nor is anything introduced Any flush could cause aspiration pneumonia if though the tube is misplaced in the lungs. the tube until pH testing for gastric placement relies on initial collecting aspirate via the tube; anything placement has introduced down the tube will contaminate this been aspirate, potentially leading to false positive pH confirmed readings. Purchasing Some pH papers are designed specifically for policies are laboratory testing and so not appropriate for revised and old testing human gastric aspirate. stock systematically removed to ensure all pH No local or national clinical guidance should test strips are amend this requirement, although the CE and reference to intended by requirements of pH test strips may be extended the to manufacturer alternative technology that has met relevant to test regulatory requirements and is CE marked and human gastric intended by the manufacturer to test human aspirate gastric aspirate (eg pH meters). Each pH test To allow for an ongoing record of a patient’s No local or national clinical guidance should Recording sheets (including normal range. amend this requirement. in place failure to To assist in investigation in the event of obtain respiratory feeding following initial placement. aspirate) and test result
Nasogastric tubes are not flushed, nor are guidewires pre-lubricated, nor is anything introduced though the tube until initial placement has been confirmed Any flush could cause aspiration pneumonia if the tube is misplaced in the lungs. pH testing for gastric placement relies on collecting aspirate via the tube; anything introduced down the tube will contaminate this aspirate, potentially leading to false positive pH readings. No local or national clinical guidance should amend this requirement. Purchasing policies are revised and old stock systematically removed to ensure all pH test strips are CE and intended by the manufacturer to test human gastric aspirate Some pH papers are designed specifically for laboratory testing and so not appropriate for testing human gastric aspirate. No local or national clinical guidance should amend this requirement, although the reference to requirements of pH test strips may be extended to alternative technology that has met relevant regulatory requirements and is CE marked and intended by the manufacturer to test human gastric aspirate (eg pH meters). Each pH test (including failure to obtain aspirate) and test result To allow for an ongoing record of a patient’s normal range. To assist in investigation in the event of respiratory feeding following initial placement. No local or national clinical guidance should amend this requirement. Recording sheets in place
78i_BOD_Board-Report-May-2017-Patient-Safety-Alert-NG-tube-feeding-2.docx