HESI Registered Nurse EXIT Practice Exam

What is the most accurate method for verifying placement of an enteral feeding tube?

1. Abdominal x-ray

2. Auscultation

3. Flushing tube with saline

4. Aspiration for gastric contents

The correct answer is: Abdominal x-ray

Using abdominal x-ray is considered the most accurate method for verifying the placement of an enteral feeding tube. An x-ray provides a direct visual confirmation of the tube's position, allowing healthcare providers to see exactly where the tube is located in relation to the stomach or intestines. This method is particularly important for ensuring that the tube is not placed in the lungs, which could lead to serious complications such as aspiration pneumonia. Other methods, while sometimes utilized for verification, do not offer the same level of accuracy. For instance, auscultation, which involves listening for air injection sounds in the stomach, can be subjective and may not definitively confirm the tube's location. Flushing the tube with saline may provide functional information about patency but does not confirm its placement in the correct anatomical position. Similarly, aspiration of gastric contents can provide clues about whether the tube is in the stomach, but it does not rule out potential misplacement. Overall, the abdominal x-ray remains the gold standard for ensuring the accurate placement of an enteral feeding tube due to its reliability and precision.