A nurse is providing discharge teaching to a client who is to receive home oxygen therapy.

Which of the following instructions should the nurse include in the teaching?

Aspirate contents from the tube and verify the pH level.

• A. This is an incorrect action. Inserting air in the tube and listening for gurgling sounds in the epigastric area is not a reliable method to confirm NG tube placement, as it can produce falsepositive results due to air entering the stomach or intestines.
• B. This is a correct action. Aspirating contents from the tube and verifying the pH level is a valid method to confirm NG tube placement, as gastric contents typically have a pH of less than 5.5, while intestinal or respiratory contents have a higher pH.
• C. This is an incorrect action. Reviewing the medical record for previous x-ray verification of placement is not sufficient to confirm NG tube placement, as the tube can migrate or become dislodged after insertion. X-ray verification should be done initially and whenever there is doubt about the tube's position.
• D. This is an incorrect action. Auscultating the lungs for adventitious breath sounds is not a specific method to confirm NG tube placement, as it can indicate other conditions such as pneumonia or pulmonary edema. It can also miss signs of respiratory complications due to NG tube misplacement, such as pneumothorax or bronchial obstruction.

Have the client wear a surgical mask while being transported outside the room.

• A. Initiate contact precautions for the client upon admission. This is incorrect because contact precautions are not sufficient to prevent the spread of TB, which is an airborne disease that can travel through small droplets in the air.
• B. Restrict visitors from entering the client's room during hospitalization. This is incorrect because visitors can enter the client's room as long as they wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as an N95 respirator, gown, gloves, and eye protection.
• C. Wear a surgical mask while providing care for the client. This is incorrect because a surgical mask does not filter out small airborne particles that carry TB bacteria. The nurse should wear an N95 respirator or higher level of respiratory protection when caring for a client who has active TB.
• D. Have the client wear a surgical mask while being transported outside the room. This is correct because a surgical mask can reduce the amount of droplets that are expelled by the client when coughing or sneezing, thus minimizing the risk of infecting others in common areas or hallways.