A nurse is caring for a 75-year-old client with aspiration pneumonia. The nurse should recognize what age-related change can contribute to the development of aspiration pneumonia?

A: Clostridium difficile infection typically develops after prolonged antibiotic use and is not the most likely cause of diarrhea immediately after starting enteral feeding.

B: Antibiotic therapy can cause diarrhea, but it is not the most likely cause in this scenario where the diarrhea started soon after beginning enteral feeding.

C: Formula intolerance is the most likely cause of diarrhea shortly after starting enteral feeding. The patient’s digestive system may not tolerate the formula well, leading to diarrhea.

D: Bacterial contamination is a possible cause but is less likely to cause immediate diarrhea after starting enteral feeding compared to formula intolerance. Proper handling and preparation of the formula should minimize this risk.

A: Auscultation, or listening for air injected into the tube, is not a reliable method for verifying feeding tube placement. It can lead to false positives and does not confirm the tube’s location accurately.

B: X-ray is the gold standard for verifying feeding tube placement. It provides a clear image of the tube’s position, ensuring it is correctly placed in the stomach or small intestine, reducing the risk of complications.

C: Aspiration of contents can help verify placement by checking the appearance and pH of the aspirate. However, it is not as definitive as an X-ray and can sometimes be inconclusive.

D: pH testing of aspirate can indicate whether the tube is in the stomach (acidic pH) or intestines (less acidic). While useful, it is not as reliable as an X-ray for confirming placement.