NGT

Practical Tips

• Warm up the tube
• Lots of lube
• Have them tilt their head up until you hit the nasopharynx
• Once in the nasopharynx, patient should bend their head forward and drink water through a straw to swallow the tube while you gently push
• NGT should go to suction immediately, before X-ray, regardless of policy
• Put a towel on the patient’s chest

Troubleshooting

• High output? Patient is drinking, or the tube has migrated into the right side (duodenum).
• Low output?
  • Occlusion: flush.
  • Sump in esophagus: CXR.
  • No longer needed: clamp trial or gravity.