G-Tube Care + Giving Meds Through a G-Tube: Crush It or Not? #NCLEX #nursingstudent

How to care for a gastrostomy (G-tube) and give medications through it without clogging it.

What it is: a tube through the abdominal wall into the stomach, placed endoscopically (PEG) when tube feeding will last longer than 4 weeks.

Site care:
– Check the site daily for pressure damage
– Clean with gauze moistened with water or saline (per policy)
– Let it air dry, then reposition the fixation plate

Before giving anything:
– Head of bed 30–45°
– Verify placement per policy and check the external length hasn’t changed

Medications:
– Use liquid forms when you can
– NEVER crush enteric-coated (EC) or sustained-release (SR/ER/XL) drugs. Check a drug reference or pharmacist.
– Give each medication separately and flush before, between, and after
– Let it flow by gravity. Never force it.
– Never add meds to the tube feeding bag
– Keep the head of the bed up for 60 minutes after meds

Keep it patent:
– Flush at least once a shift and before and after feedings
– Clogged? Use warm water, not juice or soda

Practice with 20 free NCLEX questions at NCLEXPrePro.com

Adapted from Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e 17.2 and 15.6, and BCIT, Clinical Procedures for Safer Patient Care 6.3, CC BY 4.0.
For education only. Always follow your facility’s policy.

#NCLEX #NCLEXRN #NursingStudent #NursingSchool #ClinicalSkills #GTube

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