Discharge Instructions: Checking Placement of Feeding Tube
You are going home with a feeding tube in place. You will need to check the tube regularly to make sure the tip of the tube stays in your stomach. You were shown how to care for your tube in the hospital. This sheet helps you remember those steps when you are at home.
When to Call Your Doctor
Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following:
Choking—call 911 right away
Trouble breathing during feeding, flushing, or giving medication
Tube that can’t be unclogged
Tube that falls out or difficulty telling whether your tube is in your stomach
Diarrhea that lasts more than 3 loose stools
Constipation that lasts more than 48 hours
Nausea or vomiting
Fever of 100.4°F or higher, or chills
Bloody or coffee-colored drainage through tube
Red, warm, or tender skin around the tube
Sudden weight loss or gain (more than 2 pounds in 24 hours)
Bloated or tight stomach
Signs tube is not in right place (if these occur, maintain upright position—do not lie down):
Home Care
Gather your supplies:
Permanent marker pen
Measuring tape or ruler
50 ml syringe
Check placement of your tube once every day.
Look for the mark on your tube at the place where it comes out of your nose or out of your stomach (this depends on the type of tube you have). If there is no mark, make one.
Look to see that the mark you made on the tube is still in the same place each time you check placement.
Measure the length of the tube from your nose (nasal tube) or abdomen (stomach tube) to the end of the tube. If it’s not the same length as it was the day before, your tube may not be in the right place.
Follow-Up
Make a follow-up appointment as directed by our staff.