Title: CrossHospital Audit: Nasogastric Tubes
1Cross-Hospital Audit Nasogastric Tubes
- Suzanne Metcalf
- SDE Clinical Audit
- Royal Perth Hospital
2Rationale
- 2004 the Medicines and Healthcare products
Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the UK - pH strips or paper
- February 2005 the NHS National Patient Safety
Agency released the Patient Safety Alert
Reducing the harm caused by misplaced
nasogastric feeding tubes - X-Ray recommended as gold standard for Adults
(but should not be used routinely) - Measuring the pH of aspirate using pH indicator
strips/paper is recommended
3Patient Safety Alert
- Testing methods not to be used
- The Whoosh Test
- Blue Litmus paper
- The Bubble Test
- Observing the visual appearance of aspirate
4Patient Safety Alert
- Testing methods not to be used
- The Whoosh Test
- Blue Litmus paper
- The Bubble Test
- Observing the visual appearance of aspirate
5 Rationale continued
- RPH established a working party to develop
metro-wide standards to guide nursing practice in
the management of patients with enteral tubes. - RPH established an additional working party in
March 2006 to develop and coordinate an audit
focussing on tube placement checking to collect
base line data prior to the implementation of the
Metro-wide guidelines.
6Seven Hospitals included
- Royal Perth Hospital
- Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
- Princess Margaret Hospital
- Fremantle Kaleeya Hospitals
- Armadale Health Service
- Osborne Park Hospital
- Swan Kalamunda Health Service
7Audit
- A point prevalence study to determine compliance
with recommended best practice guidelines for the
correct positioning of nasogastric feeding tubes
throughout Seven Perth Hospitals - Aim of the audit
- To increase patient safety and minimise the risk
associated with incorrect positioning of
nasogastric feeding tubes.
8Objectives
- To ensure
- - safe and effective management of nasogastric
tubes (NGT). - - appropriate actions are taken to determine
correct placement of tube prior to feeding /
administering medications. - - nursing staff are aware of and complying with
the hospital standards for the management of NG
tubes and associated documentation.
9- Inclusion Criteria
- All adult and paediatric patients in general
wards, ICU and Emergency Departments with NG
tubes insitu on the 12th July 2006 (data
collection). - Exclusion Criteria
- Patients with NG tubes insitu for drainage /
decompression or lavage, but not for feeding or
administration of medications. - Neonates
10Data Collection
- Two phases
- Retrospective review of documentation relating to
insertion placement checking - Nurse Interview to establish any deficits in
nursing knowledge to guide further educational
support
11Pilot Study undertaken
- Four hospitals
- Royal Perth Hospital
- Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
- Princess Margaret Hospital
- Fremantle Hospital
- Both Phases piloted
- Data collection tool
- Nurse interview
12Hospital that met inclusion criteria on 12th July
2006
- Undertook both components of the audit
- Royal Perth Hospital
- Fremantle Hospital
- Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
- Princess Margaret Hospital
13Assessment of Nurses Knowledge only
- Osborne Park Hospital
- Armadale Health Service
- Swan Kalamunda Health Service
14Results
- Demographic data
- 79 patients included in the audit
- 70.9 (n56) adult patients
- 29.1 (n23) paediatric patients
- 53.6 (n30) of adult patients from one of three
ICU - No paediatric ICU patients
15Demographic data continued
- 100 of NGT were secured appropriately according
to the patients condition - 98.7 were radiopaque
- 67.1 (n53) prescribed acid inhibiting
medication - 88.7 (n47) adult patients
- 11.3 (n6) paediatric patients
16Demographic data continued
- 44.3 (n35) were receiving continuous feeds
- 71.4 (n25) were prescribed acid inhibiting
medication. - 41.8 (n33) were receiving intermittent feeds
- 57.6 (n19) on acid inhibiting medication
17Demographic data continued
- 81.8 (n9) of the eleven adult patients
prescribed medication via the NGT were on acid
inhibiting medication - 100 of patients at RPH (n29) were prescribed
acid inhibiting medication
18Nurse Interviews
19Nurse Interviews
20Documentation on Insertion
- Date of Insertion
- Reason for insertion
- Nasogastric Tube length (cm)
- Nasogastric Tube diameter (French Gauge)
- Type of feed regime
- Method used to confirm placement
- Confirmation tube is in correct position
- External length (nare to tip) following
confirmation
21Documention - Date of insertion
22Documentation - Reason For Insertion
23Documentation - Tube Length
24Documentation - Tube Gauge
25Documentation - Type of feed or Medication
26Documentation - Method used to assess placement
27Documentation - Confirmation NGT in correct
position
28Documentation - External Length (Nare to tip)
29Other Documentation indicated by those interviewed
- 21.2 (n22) information relating to the aspirate
including colour, amount and pH - 14.4 (n15) their assessment of the insertion
process including trauma, nostril patency,
complications or ease of insertion - 17.3 (n18) nare the NGT was inserted
30Placement checking for enteral feeding and
medication administration
- Following initial confirmation of NGT placement
tubes should be checked - Prior to all bolus or intermittent feeds
- Prior to commencing continuous feed (minimum
daily) - Prior to administration of medications (NG route)
31Documentation - confirming placement checks
(intermittent)
32Documentation - confirming placement checks
(continuous)
Hospital
70.0
Fremantle Hospital
Princess Margaret
Hospital
Royal Perth Hospital
60.0
Sir Charles Gairdner
Hospital
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
Not applicable
Tube placement checks
Tube placement checks
documented
not documented
33Documentation - confirming placement checks
(medication)
34Documented - Method used
35Gastric pH
- 66.6 (n63) indicated a pH lt5.5
- 12.5 (n8) nurses reporting the pH 6 or above
- 12.5 (n8) not reporting a figure.
36Risk assessment process
- Medication (PPI, H2 antagonists)
- Visual checks
- Well secured
- Signs of migration (curling)
- External markings
- Length from nare to tips
- pH test of aspirate with pH indicator strips
37Prior to aspirating
- 18.2 (n18) would confirm if patients on acid
inhibiting medication - 58.6 (n61) confirm tube securely anchored
- 36.5 (n38) Visual check for migration
- 23.1 (n24) Check external markings
- 30 (n31) Check external length (nare to tip)
38Methods employed to aid aspiration
- 47.1 (n49) Turn patient on their side
- 32.7 (n34) Inject air gently into tube
- 32.7 (n34) Advance / withdraw tube then try to
aspirate again
39Number of attempts to aspirate
40Recommendations
- The General Surgical Supplies tender ensure the
following criteria are met for NGTs - Radiopaque
- Have multiple ports (air port) to aid aspiration
- Have clear centimetre line markers
- Are made of suitable / choice of materials
- Have caps attached to close ports when not in use
- Are available in a number of lengths
- Are available in a number of sizes
41Recommendations cont
- The Metro Wide NPS group to develop a suitable
form for nursing staff to document assessment of
placement checks with MR number assigned, (follow
local policy for MR numbers at all sites).
42Recommendations cont
- Continuous feeding regime to follow the NICE
Guidelines for nutrition support in adults
(enteral feeding) - ie dieticians to prescribe feeding regime over
16 24 hours thus allowing a feed free break to
allow the stomach to empty and enabling pH
measurements to be taken. - The DON at each site to write to the chief
dietician to recommend changes following
implementation of NPS.
43Recommendations cont
- The NPS to state required information for
documentation following NGT insertion in-patients
integrated notes.
44Recommendations cont
- NPS group to develop a NGT competency as part of
the nursing practice standard. The competency to
be developed using the RPH template. - NPS to ensure process highlighted in Nursing
Practice Standard to document / report incidents
relating to NGT insertion, misplacement and
removal on AIMS. Incident reporting should also
include all near miss incidents.
45Recommendations cont
- All hospital to ensure there is a process in
place which allows appropriate clinical nurse
specialists / consultants or Nurse Practitioner
involvement in product evaluation / review during
all relevant tender contract renewals. - Approved recommendations to be reflected in EBP
NPS
46Recommendations cont
- Education program to be developed to coincide
with the implementation of EBP NPS. Education to
include but not limited to - Background to NPS
- Physiology
- Types of tube
- Patient assessment (NGT or PEG)
- Placement checking (risk assessment)
- Documentation
47Recommendations cont
- Copy of report has been distributed to team
members, and NPS group. - Copy of report distributed within hospital sites
to appropriate Governance Committees / Councils. - Reaudit of NGT documentation to be undertaken in
August 2007 (invitation will be sent to other
hospital to participate).
48Conclusion
- First for Western Australia
- Real time benchmarking
- Hospitals involved have reviewed current practice
- Review bedside placement checking of NGTs
- Whoosh test, Litmus paper and Bubble tests banned
- Introduction of pH indicator strips
- Need for specific documentation form