AIIMS Delhi NO - 2018
Medical & Surgical Nursing
Easy

Identify the marked thing in below procedural picture?

Appeared in: AIIMS Delhi NO - 2018

Explanation

  • The image shows a long, thin, flexible tube consistent with a nasogastric or nasoenteric feeding tube.
  • Key identifying features visible are the Y-port connector for feeding/flushing, the yellow color indicating it's for enteral use, and depth markings for placement verification.
  • These tubes are used to administer nutrition, fluids, and medications directly into the gastrointestinal tract when a patient cannot take them orally.
  • The small bore (diameter) is designed for patient comfort during short-term use.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

  • Option B: A closed suction catheter is enclosed in a clear plastic sheath to maintain sterility during suctioning of an artificial airway. The tube in the image is exposed and designed for feeding.
  • Option C: An endotracheal (ET) tube is much wider, shorter, and more rigid. It has a 15mm universal connector and an inflatable cuff at the distal end to seal the airway. The tube in the image lacks these features.
  • Option D: A hand-held manometer is a pressure gauge device, not a tube for instilling fluids. It is used to measure pressure, for example, in an ET tube cuff.

Related Visual

Visual explanation — Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
  • Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Identification of Enteral Feeding Tube as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
  • Correctly identifying medical tubes is a critical patient safety skill for nurses. Misidentifying a feeding tube could lead to catastrophic errors, such as connecting an enteral feed to an IV line.
  • The yellow color-coding (ENFit standard) is a safety initiative designed to prevent misconnections between enteral and other systems (e.g., IV, respiratory).
  • What if the tube was clear and wider? If the tube was clear, wider, and had a blue pigtail vent, it would likely be a Salem Sump tube, which is used for gastric decompression (suctioning) rather than primarily for feeding.
How to Approach the Question
  • First, carefully examine the image, paying attention to all details of the object shown: its color, shape, size, length, and any connectors or markings.
  • Identify the key features. In this case, the yellow color, the thin and flexible nature, the Y-port connector, and the black depth markings are crucial clues.
  • Relate these features to your knowledge of common medical equipment. The Y-port suggests multiple functions (e.g., feeding and flushing), and the markings suggest a need for precise placement measurement.
  • Evaluate each option against your visual analysis. Ask yourself, 'Does this object match the description of a feeding tube? A suction catheter? An ET tube? A manometer?'
  • Eliminate the options that do not match. A suction catheter is sheathed, an ET tube is wider with a cuff, and a manometer is a pressure gauge. This process of elimination leaves 'Feeding tube' as the only plausible answer.
Concept Tested & Keywords
  • Concept Tested: Identification of Enteral Feeding Tube
  • Stem keywords: procedural picture, identify
  • Lead-in keywords: Identify
  • Clinical cues: The image shows a yellow tube with a Y-port, which is characteristic of a feeding tube.

Question ID

Qlrbm3tB9yz_KQnp7RQDvZ

Reference Book

E6 Nursing Brunner Adult Health 3SA Vol 1 Part 2 pp. 89-91, 90-92

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