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NCLEX · Safety and Infection Control

A nurse is administering a medication through a feeding tube. What is an important safety practice?

Reviewed by Jordan Morley, Editorial Lead at 247SimpleTests. Written by the 247SimpleTests Editorial Team from the official source material cited on every question.

Correct answer

Verify each medication can be crushed/given via tube (do not crush enteric-coated or extended-release forms), flush the tube before, between, and after medications, and check tube placement

  1. A Never flush the tube
  2. B Give all medications at maximum speed
  3. C Verify each medication can be crushed/given via tube (do not crush enteric-coated or extended-release forms), flush the tube before, between, and after medications, and check tube placement
  4. D Crush all medications together and give enteric-coated tablets crushed

Why this is the answer

Administering medications via FEEDING TUBE safety practices: VERIFY each medication is appropriate for tube administration — do NOT crush ENTERIC-COATED or EXTENDED-RELEASE (sustained-release) medications (crushing destroys the protective coating/timing, risking overdose or stomach irritation — use liquid forms or alternatives); FLUSH the tube with water BEFORE, BETWEEN each medication, and AFTER (prevents clogging and drug interactions); give medications SEPARATELY (don't mix together); CHECK tube PLACEMENT before administering; keep the head of the bed elevated (aspiration prevention). NCLEX safe care/medication safety.

Key point: enteric-coated and extended-release forms must NOT be crushed. Knowing safe feeding-tube medication administration (don't crush ER/EC, flush before/between/after, verify placement) is a commonly tested NCLEX concept.

Source: NCLEX Safe Care — Feeding Tube Medication Safety

Practice more questions

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About this topic: Safety and Infection Control

Safety and infection control questions cover Standard and transmission-based precautions, isolation set-up, sterile technique, error prevention, restraints, and emergency and disaster response. This is one of 24 RN: Safe and Effective Care Environment questions on safety and infection control, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

New to this exam? Our NCLEX exam guide explains the format, scoring, and how to prepare.

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