RN Exam Practice
Safety and Infection ControlQuestion 197 of 2368

The nurse is about to give a medication through a client's nasogastric tube. Which method should the nurse use to verify tube placement?

  1. Observe the color and appearance of the aspirated stomach contents
  2. Inject air into the tube with a syringe while listening over the stomach
  3. Compare the visible tube length with the length documented at X-ray
  4. Check placement once after insertion, then not again until removal
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Correct answer: Compare the visible tube length with the length documented at X-ray

Placement is checked before feedings and medications by comparing visible tube length with the X-ray length. The air and aspirate methods are unreliable.

Source: Nursing Fundamentals, 2nd edition (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2024), Nutrition: Enteral Nutrition. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Practice the topic "Safety and Infection Control"

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026