PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Juhl, G A AU - Conners, G P TI - Emergency physicians’ practices and attitudes regarding procedural anaesthesia for nasogastric tube insertion AID - 10.1136/emj.2004.015602 DP - 2005 Apr 01 TA - Emergency Medicine Journal PG - 243--245 VI - 22 IP - 4 4099 - http://emj.bmj.com/content/22/4/243.short 4100 - http://emj.bmj.com/content/22/4/243.full SO - Emerg Med J2005 Apr 01; 22 AB - Objective: To determine practice and attitudes of emergency physicians regarding procedural anaesthesia for nasogastric tube insertion (NGT). Methods: Survey of resident/attending emergency physicians working in a tertiary care medical centre. Results: Of 68 physicians, 46 responded: 98% believed that awake and alert patients find NGT insertion uncomfortable/painful; 93% used measures to reduce this, most commonly lubricant gel, topical anaesthetic spray, lidocaine gel, and distraction/use of a child life worker; 28% believed these provided adequate pain control and 37% believed they were inadequate. Topical anaesthetic spray, lidocaine gel, and nebulised/atomised anaesthetics were believed the most practical to administer and 44% actually used these. Nebulised/atomised anaesthetics, systemic anxiolytics, and topical anaesthetic spray were believed the most effective at pain control but only 24% actually used these. While 39% of respondents were satisfied with their current practice, 46% were dissatisfied: 91% would change their practice if new literature were to show a convenient way to effectively reduce this pain. Conclusions: Emergency physicians do not actually use the measures they believe are most practical/most effective at reducing the pain associated with NGT insertion. Thus, there may be a barrier to the use of these measures. Improvement in procedural anaesthesia for NGT insertion in emergency departments is needed and desired by emergency physicians.