During bolus feeding via nasogastric tube, the patient develops fever and signs of throat discomfort after formula administration. The correct action is to:

• A. Continue the administration at the same rate
• B. Pause the feeding to check the tube placement
• C. Discontinue the administration of the bolus feeding
• D. Flush the tube with water and resume feeding

Answer: (C)

When a patient experiences fever and throat discomfort after receiving formula through a nasogastric tube, it signals a possible complication from the feeding, such as irritation, infection, or aspiration. The safest immediate action is to stop the bolus feeding to prevent further exposure and to assess what's happening. After stopping, the nurse can check the tube placement if there’s concern, evaluate the patient for signs of aspiration or infection, and report to the clinician as needed. Continuing the feeding at the same rate could worsen a potential problem, and flushing and resuming doesn’t address the underlying issue. Pausing to check placement alone isn’t sufficient when systemic symptoms are present.