Bill is feeling a bit anxious about having an NG tube inserted and would like some further information. To reassure Bill and help him to understand what this involves, the nurse explains the procedure to Bill:
- A nasogastric tube is a thin tube that will be inserted into your nose and it will reach down to your stomach.
- What I am going to do first is measure the NG tube against your body so that I know how much of the tube needs to be inserted.
- I will hold the tube and measure the distance from your nose to your stomach and put a small mark on the tube.
- I will lubricate the tube to help it go down. I will then insert it into your nostril and pass it down to the back of your throat. This may be a little uncomfortable.
- I will ask you to open your mouth so that I can check the tube is going down and not coiled up in your mouth.
- Once the tube is into the stomach I will secure it in place using a secure tape for your nose.
- I will then take a syringe and attach it to the end of the tube and will draw back some of the liquid from your stomach. This is a test to see it is in the right place and we will do this test every time we start a new feed or before we put medication into your tube.
- You may be sent for a check chest x-ray to make sure the tube has been placed correctly. This is for safety reasons as sometimes tubes can be incorrectly placed or can be dislodged and we do not want to feed you if it is in the wrong place.
- This type of tube can stay in for between four to twelve weeks depending on NG tube type.
- If a tube is needed for longer than this we will discuss this with you in due course.
Bill feels reassured by this explanation and consents to the NG tube insertion. He is given an information leaflet on NG feeding that can be shared with his family.
NB/ This is an explanation for Bill and does not constitute training for staff on NG insertion. For full procedural information on how to pass an NG tube, see your local guidelines.
Page last reviewed: 03 Jun 2021
