title: Safe placement of nasogastric tubes in children.
abstract: Insertion of nasogastric tubes is a common nursing procedure but practice rituals and unfounded assumptions can compromise safety. Current methods for checking the position of nasogastric tubes are not always suitable in children but there is limited guidance on how to proceed when gastric placement cannot be determined. As a result of a local adverse incident, a working party challenged the assumptions and rituals of practice using an evidence-based framework. A nasogastric tube algorithm was developed using a risk assessment approach to improve the safety of children in hospital and community settings.
authors.affiliation: Southampton General Hospital.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wilkes-Holmes
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001314:Auscultation; D002562:Ceremonial Behavior; D002648:Child; D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D003663:Decision Trees; D004867:Equipment Design; D004868:Equipment Failure; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005745:Gastric Acidity Determination; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007441:Intubation, Gastrointestinal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017751:Safety Management; D013396:Suction