A nurse is providing care for a patient in a long-term care facility who is receiving enteral feedings via a nasogastric (NG) tube.
What action should the nurse take before administering the tube feeding?

Choice A rationale: Wet-to-dry dressings are a form of mechanical debridement. This method involves applying a wet dressing to the wound and allowing it to dry. When the dressing is removed, it also removes some of the dead or damaged tissue from the wound, helping to clean the wound and promote healing. This method can be painful and is not selective, meaning it can also remove healthy tissue. However, it is often used for wounds with a large amount of debris or necrotic tissue.

Choice B rationale: Surgical debridement is another method of wound debridement, but it is not a form of mechanical debridement. This method involves using surgical instruments to remove dead or damaged tissue. It is the fastest method of debridement and is often used for wounds that are infected or have a large amount of necrotic tissue. However, it requires a skilled practitioner and can be painful.

Choice C rationale: Enzymatic debridement involves applying a topical ointment that contains enzymes to the wound. These enzymes help to break down dead or damaged tissue. This method is selective and only removes necrotic tissue, leaving healthy tissue intact. However, it is not a form of mechanical debridement.

Choice D rationale: Autolytic debridement is a method that uses the body’s own enzymes and moisture to break down dead or damaged tissue. This is the slowest method of debridement but is also the least painful and is selective for necrotic tissue. Like enzymatic debridement, autolytic debridement is not a form of mechanical debridement.

Choice A rationale

Glaucoma is a condition that damages the eye’s optic nerve and can result in vision loss and blindness. However, it doesn’t cause a cloudy, opaque area over the lens of the eye.

Choice B rationale

Diabetic retinopathy is a diabetes complication that affects eyes. It’s caused by damage to the blood vessels of the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye (retina). But it doesn’t cause a cloudy, opaque area over the lens of the eye.

Choice C rationale

Macular degeneration is a medical condition which may result in blurred or no vision in the center of the visual field. But it doesn’t cause a cloudy, opaque area over the lens of the eye.

Choice D rationale

A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision. Cataracts are very common in older people. Symptoms of cataracts include cloudy or blurry vision.