Home Nasogastric Tube Feeding

Information This handout is designed to help you and
for Patients your family understand how to give yourself
feedings through your nasogastric [NAY-
zoh-GAS-trik] tube after you go home.
Tube feedings are given when you cannot
eat enough or drink enough to have ad-
equate nutrition for the body. Good nutri-
tion is needed for your body to heal. Fluid
is needed to prevent your body from get-
ting dried out (dehydrated).
A nasogastric (NG) tube is a long, narrow
feeding tube that goes through your nose
and down into your stomach. The NG
tube is soft and bendable. (See the
diagram below.)
When you leave the hospital, you should
be able to:
• give yourself liquid food and water
through the feeding tube
• give yourself medication through the
tube
• take care of the tube
• “trouble-shoot” problems if they arise
This handout gives added information for
you and your family. It should not replace
discussions with your doctors, nurses, or
dietitians.

nose

mouth

esophagus

nasogastric tube

stomach

large intestine

small intestine

continued
 Home Nasogastric Tube Feeding

Understanding the Equipment Giving the Tube Feeding

Before giving your feeding, you will need: 1. Always wash your hands thoroughly
• 60cc syringe before touching the NG feeding
tube, food, or medication.
• liquid food prescribed by your doctor
Information 2. Check the placement of your feeding
• measuring cup
for Patients tube:
• clean food container
• Attach a 60cc syringe to the end of your
• IV pole or wall hook to hang the food feeding tube.
container while receiving the feeding
(optional in the home)
The setup for feedings is shown below:

• Pull back on the plunger. You should

see some gastric juices (yellow-green
fluid). This is stomach content and tells
you the tube is in your stomach.
• If you pull back more than 150cc of flu-
id, do not give yourself food. Inject the
To get your liquid food, attach the tube stomach content, which contains impor-
from the end of the food container to the tant minerals, back into the tube. Then
end of your NG feeding tube. This is for flush with water. Wait for a few hours
intermittent or continuous feedings. and check again. Tell your visiting nurse
or your doctor if this occurs frequently.
3. If stomach content does not show
when you pull back on the plunger,
you can use another method to check
placement:
• Draw up 20cc of air into your syringe.
• Insert the air into your feeding tube
while holding one hand over your
stomach.

Illustrations used with permission of Ross Products Division, Abbott Laboratories Inc., Columbus, Ohio
Home Nasogastric Tube Feeding
• Call your doctor if you see no stomach
content and feel no air bubbles under
your hand. This may indicate your
tube has been displaced.
4. To give yourself the feeding, follow
these steps:
• Insert the tip of the tube from your
food container into your feeding tube.
• Open the clamp slowly to adjust the
speed of the feeding.
• Your meal should last 45 minutes to an
hour. It is important to sit up or prop
your head up while receiving your
feeding. If you have choking or dif-
ficulty breathing during a feeding, stop
the feeding and call your doctor im-
mediately.
• When the feeding is done, fill the food
container with the amount of water
your doctor prescribes. This provides
fluids for you and flushes out the tube.
• After the water is given, roll the clamp
down to turn off and disconnect the
food container.
5. Wash out the food container after
each use:
• Use dishwashing liquid and water to
wash the container.
• Rinse the container thoroughly.
• Use a clean food container for each
feeding.
Giving Your Medication
Medications can be given through your
NG tube. Use the liquid form of your
medication if it is available at your phar-
macy. If the liquid form is not available,
Information
you must crush your pills.
for Patients
If the letters “SR” appear after the drug
name on the label, this indicates the medi-
cation is “sustained-release.” Do not crush
these pills. Check with your pharmacist
or nurse to be sure that your pills may be
crushed and given at the same time.
To give your medication, follow these
steps:
• Check for feeding tube placement (see
“Giving the Tube Feeding,” Steps 2 and
3).
• Flush your feeding tube with 30cc of
water before giving your medication.
• Crush the pills. To crush your pills,
place them in a plastic bag, and then use
a rolling pin or soup can as a crushing
instrument. After you have crushed your
pills finely, let the pieces dissolve in warm
water (not hot water) so that no pieces
will clog your tube.
• Draw medication up into your syringe
by pulling back on the plunger.
• Attach the syringe to the end of the
feeding tube. Then push on the plunger
to give your medication.
• Flush the tube with 30cc of water after
giving your medication.
• Some medications should be given with
food; others on an empty stomach. Ask
your pharmacist for directions.
continued
 Home Nasogastric Tube Feeding

University of
Pittsburgh
Medical Center
Information
for Patients
The University of Pitts-
burgh Medical Center is an
equal opportunity employer.
Policy prohibits discrimina-
tion or harassment on the
basis of race, color, religion,
national origin, ancestry,
sex, age, marital status, fa-
milial status, sexual orien-
tation, disability, or veteran
status. Further, UPMC
will continue to support
and promote equal employ-
ment opportunity, human
dignity, and racial, ethnic,
and cultural diversity. This
policy applies to admissions,
employment, and access to
and treatment in UPMC
programs and activities.
This commitment is made
by UPMC in accordance
with federal, state, and/or
local laws and regulations.
This information is not
intended to be used as a
substitute for professional
medical advice, diagnosis, or
treatment. You should not
rely entirely on this infor-
mation for your health care
needs. Ask your own doctor
or health care provider any
specific medical questions
that you have.
Mouth and Tube Care
• Brush your teeth at least twice daily, if
your doctor says you may.
• Clean the area where the NG tube goes
into your nostrils daily. Use a cotton-tip
applicator moistened with warm water.
If your nose becomes sore, you may
apply water-soluble lubricant (such as
Surgilube or K-Y jelly).
• Change your nasal tape every other day
or when it is loose.
Make sure the nasal tape is secure at all
times. If your feeding tube falls out, call
your doctor as soon as possible.
• To prevent a clogged feeding tube,
flush your tube with water each time
after giving a feeding or medication.
• If your tube becomes clogged, you can
use these methods:
• Place the syringe into your feeding
tube, and pull back on the plunger.
• Flush your tube with warm tap water.
• If you cannot unclog your tube, call your
doctor immediately. It is important not
to miss your prescribed liquid food and
water.
When to Call the Doctor
• If you choke or have difficulty breathing
during a feeding, stop the feeding and
call your doctor immediately.
• If you cannot unclog your tube, call
your doctor immediately.
• If your feeding tube falls out or you
cannot confirm that the end of the tube
is in your stomach, call your doctor as
soon as possible.
• Call your doctor if any of the following
last for more than a day: diarrhea,
constipation, nausea, dark urine, bad-
smelling urine, dry mouth
• Call your doctor if the tube seems to
be moving farther out.

Personalized Meal Schedule

Name of liquid food: ______________________________________________________________________

Total amount of liquid food daily: __________________________________________________________

Total amount of water daily: _______________________________________________________________

Meal schedule: ___________________________________________________________________________

Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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