Improving how feeding tubes are placed in children using proven best practices.
Evidence-based Practice in the Management of Gastric Tube Placement in Children: A Multicenter Quality Improvement Project
This project will try updated evidence-based methods and nurse education to improve feeding tube placement for hospitalized children.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 2750 (estimated) |
| Ages | N/A to 18 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Children's Hospital of Fudan University Academic / other |
| Locations | 22 sites (Shanghai, Minhang and 21 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT07038538 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This multi-center quality improvement project will systematically review current evidence and guidelines on pediatric nasogastric tube placement and compare them with local practice. The team will identify practice gaps and barriers to guideline adoption, then develop and implement targeted education and standardized protocols for pediatric nurses. A before-and-after comparison across participating hospitals will track changes in technique, adherence to protocols, and safety-related outcomes. Findings will be used to refine implementation strategies and support wider adoption across the participating centers.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Hospitalized children aged 0–18 who need a nasogastric feeding tube and whose parents or guardians provide informed consent.
Not a fit: Children with unstable or severe medical conditions or those receiving nasogastric tubes solely for gastrointestinal decompression or drainage are unlikely to benefit from the feeding-focused practice changes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could reduce placement errors and complications, improving nutrition delivery and safety for hospitalized children.
How similar studies have performed: International guidelines (ASPEN, ESPGHAN) and related quality-improvement initiatives have shown that standardized protocols and education can improve enteral tube practices, though pediatric implementation varies by region.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Nurse Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria: Inclusion: * Nurses who hold a valid and legal nursing license. * Nurses who have at least 1 year of clinical nursing experience in pediatric care. Exclusion: * Nurses who are on leave or not on duty. * Nurses working in departments such as the operating room or intravenous compounding center, where nasogastric tube placement is not routinely performed. * Nurses who are in training or on internships. Pediatric Patient Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria: Inclusion: * Hospitalized children Aged 0-18 years. * Scheduled for nasogastric tube placement. * Parents or legal guardians have signed the informed consent form, agreeing to the child's participation in the study. Exclusion: * Presence of severe complications or unstable medical conditions. * Nasogastric tube is intended for gastrointestinal decompression, drainage, or venting.
Where this trial is running
Shanghai, Minhang and 21 other locations
- Children's Hospital of Fudan University — Shanghai, Minhang, China (Recruiting)
- Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University — Beijing, China (Recruiting)
- Capital Center for Children's Health,Capital Medical University — Beijing, China (Recruiting)
- Peking University First Hospital — Beijing, China (Recruiting)
- Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University — Chongqing, China (Recruiting)
- Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-care Hospital/Gansu Provincial Central Hospital — Gansu, China (Recruiting)
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center — Guangdong, China (Recruiting)
- Anhui Provincial Children's Hospital — Hefei, China (Recruiting)
- Henan Provincial People's Hospital — Henan, China (Recruiting)
- Hunan Children's Hospital — Hunan, China (Recruiting)
- The First Hospital of Jilin University — Jilin, China (Recruiting)
- Jinan Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital — Jinan, China (Recruiting)
- Kunming Children's Hospital — Kunming, China (Recruiting)
- Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University — Nanjing, China (Recruiting)
- Qingdao Women and Children's Hospital — Qingdao, China (Recruiting)
- Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University — Shenyang, China (Recruiting)
- Shenzhen Children's Hospital — Shenzhen, China (Recruiting)
- West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University — Sichuan, China (Recruiting)
- Children's Hospital of Soochow University — Suzhou, China (Recruiting)
- The First People's Hospital of Urumqi （Urumqi Children's Hospital) — Ürümqi, China (Recruiting)
- Tongji Hospital,Tongji Medical College of HUST — Wuhan, China (Recruiting)
- Children's hospital,Zhejiang University School of Medicine — Zhejiang, China (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Ying Gu, Doctor
- Email: guying0128@aliyun.com
- Phone: +86 13816881726
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.