Question

Immediately after a subtotal gastrectomy, a client is admitted to the postanesthesia care unit (pacu). the nurse irrigates the nasogastric tube and observes small blood clots in the return. what is the next best nursing intervention?

Answer 1

Clamp the tube

- Clamping the tube will increase the pressure on the gastric sutures from a concentration of gas and fluid.
2. Consider this an expected event.

- As a result of the trauma of surgery, some bleeding can be predictable for 4 to 5 hours.
3. Instill the tube with iced normal saline.

- Iced saline rarely is used because it grounds for vasoconstriction, local ischemia, and a decrease in body temperature.
4. Notify the client's surgeon of this finding

- This is not essential; this is an anticipated occurrence.