Nasogastric tubes: insertion, placement, and removal in adult patients

Using a 62-item, investigator-developed, mailed questionnaire, this descriptive study of 350 randomly selected staff nurses sought to identify variations in the care of patients with nasogastric tubes (NGT). Reported here are the results of the 12 questionnaire items related to insertion, checking placement, and removal. Results showed that practices related to checking placement do not consistently reflect published research. Variations were noted by age and experience. Practices also varied between teaching and community hospitals. Findings have relevance for nurse educators in clinical agencies and nursing schools.