Two hours after a gastrectomy, the NG tube is pink-tinged and occluded. What is the nurse's initial action?

Prepare for the Hurst Readiness Exam 2 with engaging quizzes, flashcards, and detailed explanations. Master your exam with confidence!

Multiple Choice

Two hours after a gastrectomy, the NG tube is pink-tinged and occluded. What is the nurse's initial action?

Recognizing possible postoperative GI bleeding and the need for prompt physician assessment. Pink-tinged drainage after gastric surgery can indicate bleeding from the surgical site, and an occluded NG tube prevents decompression and accurate monitoring of the drainage. Because active bleeding is a time-sensitive complication, the nurse should immediately notify the primary healthcare provider to obtain orders for further assessment and intervention. This ensures appropriate monitoring, potential lab work, changes in treatment, or surgical intervention as needed. Repositioning the patient or increasing suction won’t address the underlying concern and may delay necessary evaluation. Trying to irrigate the tube could be unsafe without explicit orders, especially if bleeding is present, as it might dislodge clots or risk aspiration. After the provider is alerted and orders are given, patency checks or irrigation can be done per protocol.

Recognizing possible postoperative GI bleeding and the need for prompt physician assessment. Pink-tinged drainage after gastric surgery can indicate bleeding from the surgical site, and an occluded NG tube prevents decompression and accurate monitoring of the drainage. Because active bleeding is a time-sensitive complication, the nurse should immediately notify the primary healthcare provider to obtain orders for further assessment and intervention. This ensures appropriate monitoring, potential lab work, changes in treatment, or surgical intervention as needed.

Repositioning the patient or increasing suction won’t address the underlying concern and may delay necessary evaluation. Trying to irrigate the tube could be unsafe without explicit orders, especially if bleeding is present, as it might dislodge clots or risk aspiration. After the provider is alerted and orders are given, patency checks or irrigation can be done per protocol.

More practice questions