Prior to providing nasogastric feeding for a 1-year-old infant, which method should the nurse use to ensure proper tube placement?

Verifying gastric pH is considered the most reliable method to ensure proper nasogastric tube placement, particularly in a pediatric patient such as a 1-year-old infant. When a nasogastric tube is correctly positioned in the stomach, the aspirate from the tube should reveal a gastric pH of 5.5 or lower. This acidic environment is a strong indicator that the tube is in the stomach rather than the esophagus or lungs.

Using pH to confirm placement is beneficial because it provides a more immediate and accurate assessment compared to other methods. It allows the nurse to avoid potential complications that can arise from placing the tube in the wrong position, such as aspiration pneumonia.

Other methods, such as auscultation after instilling air or measuring insertion length, can be less reliable and may lead to false assumptions about tube placement. Additionally, while chest X-rays are a definitive method, they often require more time and resources, making them less practical for routine use in verifying tube placement during feeding. Thus, checking gastric pH is the preferred and effective method for confirming nasogastric tube placement in infants before administering feedings.