A charge nurse in a long-term care facility will be implementing a new protocol to meet the Joint Commission's National Safety Goal of preventing health care-associated pressure ulcers. When informing the staff nurses about the new standard, the nurse should emphasize that which of the following actions is the priority?

A. To confirm the placement of the NG tube:
Confirming NG tube placement is typically done using other methods, such as auscultation of air insufflation, pH testing, or X-ray. Gastric residual measurement helps assess the status of the stomach content but is not the primary method for confirming tube placement.

B. To determine the client's electrolyte balance:
While the gastric contents do contain electrolytes, the primary purpose of measuring gastric residual is to assess gastric emptying and potential feeding intolerance. It is not the most accurate method for determining overall electrolyte balance.

C. To identify delayed gastric emptying:
This is the correct and primary purpose. Measuring gastric residual helps in identifying if there's a delay in the stomach emptying the previously administered feeding, which can inform the nurse about the client's tolerance to enteral nutrition.

D. To remove gastric acid that might cause dyspepsia:
The process of measuring gastric residual doesn't involve removing gastric acid. It's more about assessing how much of the previously administered feeding remains in the stomach. If there's a high residual volume, it may suggest delayed emptying or feeding intolerance. The focus is on adjusting the feeding plan rather than removing gastric acid.

A. Pneumonia:
Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, can lead to aspiration, where food or liquids enter the airway and lungs instead of the stomach. This can result in pneumonia, an infection of the lungs. Clients with dysphagia are at an increased risk of developing pneumonia due to the aspiration of foreign material into the lungs.

B. Pressure Injury:
Pressure injuries (formerly known as pressure ulcers or bedsores) are caused by prolonged pressure on the skin, usually over bony prominences. Dysphagia itself is not directly related to pressure injuries. These injuries are more commonly associated with immobility and constant pressure on specific areas of the body.

C. Pulmonary Embolism:
Pulmonary embolism is a blockage of the pulmonary artery, usually by a blood clot that travels to the lungs from the legs or other parts of the body. While dysphagia is not directly associated with pulmonary embolism, conditions that cause immobility (such as being bedridden due to dysphagia) can contribute to the risk of developing blood clots.

D. Diarrhea:
Dysphagia is difficulty swallowing and is not directly related to diarrhea. Diarrhea is often associated with gastrointestinal issues, infections, or dietary factors. Monitoring for complications of dysphagia would primarily focus on respiratory issues, such as aspiration pneumonia.