A nurse is developing a care plan for a patient with a decreased level of consciousness who is receiving continuous enteral feedings through a gastrostomy tube due to an inability to swallow.
What should be the nurse’s priority action?
Observe the patient’s respiratory status.
Elevate the head of the patient’s bed 30° to 45°.
Monitor intake and output every 8 hours.
Check residual volume every 4 to 6 hours.
The Correct Answer is B
Choice A rationale
While observing the patient’s respiratory status is important in all patient care, it is not the priority action in this case. The patient’s decreased level of consciousness and inability to swallow increase the risk of aspiration, which can lead to respiratory complications.
Choice B rationale
Elevating the head of the patient’s bed 30° to 45° is the priority action. A patient who has a decreased level of consciousness and an inability to swallow is at risk for aspiration. Lying down also increases this risk. The priority action by the nurse is to keep the head of the bed elevated to promote gastric emptying and reduce the risk of aspiration.
Choice C rationale
Monitoring intake and output every 8 hours is important for assessing the patient’s hydration status and nutritional needs. However, it is not the priority action in this case. The risk of aspiration due to the patient’s decreased level of consciousness and inability to swallow takes precedence.
Choice D rationale
Checking residual volume every 4 to 6 hours is a standard practice when administering continuous enteral feedings through a gastrostomy tube. It helps to ensure that the patient is tolerating the feedings and not at risk for aspiration due to high gastric residuals. However, in this case, the priority is to prevent aspiration by elevating the head of the bed.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is ["A","C"]
Explanation
Choice A rationale
A specific gravity of 1.036 is higher than the normal range of 1.005 to 1.030345. This could indicate dehydration or other conditions that cause the urine to be more concentrated. This finding should prompt the nurse to follow up.
Choice B rationale
A pH of 6.4 is within the normal range for urine, which is typically between 4.6 and 8.03. Therefore, this finding would not necessarily require follow-up.
Choice C rationale
The presence of proteinuria (protein in the urine) is abnormal and could indicate kidney disease or other serious health conditions. This finding should prompt the nurse to follow up.
Choice D rationale
The presence of hematuria (blood in the urine) can be a sign of several conditions, including urinary tract infections, kidney stones, or bladder infections. However, without more information, it’s not clear whether this finding alone should prompt the nurse to follow up.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A rationale
Discarding any residual gastric contents before administering the tube feeding is not necessary and could lead to unnecessary loss of nutrients and electrolytes.
Choice B rationale
Positioning the patient in a low Fowler’s position is not the optimal position for administering a tube feeding. The patient should be in an upright position to reduce the risk of aspiration.
Choice C rationale
Testing the pH of the gastric aspirate is an important step before administering a tube feeding. This helps to verify that the feeding tube is in the stomach and not in the lungs.
Choice D rationale
Warming the feeding solution to body temperature is not necessary and could potentially lead to bacterial growth in the feeding solution.
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