What is the recommended method to confirm the correct placement of a fine-bore nasogastric tube before administering fluids?

Aspirate a small amount of gastric contents and test its pH on a testing strip; a pH of 5.5 or lower indicates safe stomach placement. If the tube's position is still uncertain, confirm it by X-ray.

Fine-bore NG tubes are usually inserted blind, so the position must be checked before any fluids are given. The recommended initial check is to aspirate a small amount of gastric contents and measure the pH with a testing strip. A pH of 5.5 or below indicates that the tube is safely placed within the stomach. If the aspirate result is not clear or there is doubt about whether the tube is in the stomach, the position should be confirmed radiographically with an X-ray.