Gastric Gavage

The introduction of nourishment into the stomach by means of a tube passed through the nose or mouth.

Purpose: To provide nourishment with food and/or medication.

Equipments Equipments

Nasogastric Nasogastric tubetube

Prescribed Prescribed feeding feeding formulaformula

Calibrated Calibrated drinking glassdrinking glass

Bowl with Bowl with warm waterwarm water

Asepto Asepto syringesyringe

Medicine Medicine glass with glass with tap watertap water

Syringe 50 cc Syringe 50 cc for aspirationfor aspiration

Procedure

A. Preparation at the nurse’s station:

1.Pour specific amount & kind of formula into a calibrated glass.

2.Place the glass into a bowl of warm water & warm feeding to approx. body temperature (100°F).

3.Place on tray all needed equipments & bring to bedside.

B. Syringe or Funnel Method (by gravity flow)

1.Explain to the patient what and why is the procedure to be done.

2.Help the patient to assume a sitting position. If contraindicated, elevate slightly the head of the bed & turn to the right side.

3. Place towel on the chest or preferably on the side where feeding will be given.

4. Hold the end of the nasogastric tube & bend over itself or pinch it off.

5. Attach the syringe barrel to the free end of the tube.

6. Keeping the tube pinched barrel straight, pour the formula into the barrel.

7. Release the pinch on the tube & allow the feeding to flow slowly by gravity.

8. Maintain the height of the gavage container at 8 – 12 inch ( 1 foot) above the patient’s level.

a. if the formula is thick or fails to flow, raise the container a bit or apply slight pressure on the plunger or bulb of the syringe.

9. When the required amount of formula is consumed, follow with 30 – 60 cc of water.

10. Clamp & disconnect the tube as soon as the water has emptied into the tubing.

11. Cover the end of the nasogastric tube with a piece of gauze.

12. Keep patient in a sitting position or in his right side for an hour or more.

13. Remove the towel; keep patient comfortable.

14. Clean and return used equipment

Chart:

a.Time the feeding was given.

b.Type and amount of feeding

c. Untoward reactions noted as nausea, vomiting, abdominal distention, diarrhea, etc.