The nasogastric tube becomes dislodged during bolus feeding, increasing the risk of misplacement. The nurse should:

• A. Discontinue the administration of the bolus feeding
• B. Attempt to reinsert the tube at bedside and resume
• C. Continue feeding with caution
• D. Notify the physician and wait for orders

Answer: (A)

When an enteral tube is dislodged during bolus feeding, the priority is safety: you must prevent feeding into a potentially misplaced tube. Stopping the bolus feeding immediately eliminates the risk of formula being delivered through a tube that may no longer be in the stomach, which could lead to aspiration or feeding into the airway. After stopping, verify the tube’s location with appropriate methods (such as radiographic confirmation or checking aspirate and pH) and obtain orders for repositioning or replacement before resuming feeding. Reinsert at bedside without confirmation is unsafe, and continuing or delaying action both increase risk.