Nurse Ryan is assessing for correct placement of a nasogastric tube. The nurse aspirates the stomach contents and checks the contents for pH. The nurse verifies correct tube placement if which pH value is noted?
A. 3.5
B. 7.0
C. 7.35
D. 7.5
Correct Answer: A. 3.5
If the nasogastric tube is in the stomach, the pH of the contents will be acidic. Gastric aspirates have acidic pH values and should be 3.5 or lower. The pH test performed with reagent strips is sensitive to identify the correct placement of the gastric tube, so it can be used as an adjuvant technique in the evaluation of the gastric tube placement. In interpreting the results, pH ?5.5 points to correct placement, and values > 5.5 require radiological confirmation.
Option B: 7.0 indicates a slightly acidic pH. There is evidence that the use of histamine H2 receptor antagonist drugs may increase the pH value and cause confusion in the evaluation of gastric tube placement.
Option C: 7.35 indicates a neutral pH. Verifying the pH of the aspirated secretion using reagent strips is a quick bedside test. Currently, there is a consensus among experts that this is the safest method available and is recommended as the first choice when verifying gastric tube placement in adults and children.
Option D: 7.5 indicates an alkaline pH. The use of pH reagent strips is a sensitive but non-specific test to verify the placement of the gastric tube in newborns in the sample studied. That is, pH values ???5.5 in the aspirated gastric tube secretion are sensitive indicators of the correct positioning of the tip of the tube.
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