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Passing of Nasogastric Tubes

Passing a nasogastric tube feeding (NGT) or training a patient to pass such a tube is not within the scope of practice of a speech-language pathologist in New York State. That scope is set forth in Education Law §8201, and is described as:

the application of principles, methods and procedures of measurement, prediction, non-medical diagnosis, testing, counseling, consultation, rehabilitation and instruction related to the development and disorders of speech, voice, swallowing, and/or language for the purpose of preventing, ameliorating or modifying such disorder conditions in individuals and/or groups of individuals.

While a patient who is experiencing swallowing difficulty may require a NGT in order to maintain nutrition, the use of the NGT tube is not directly related to the disorder itself, but rather is part of a medical procedure to maintain the patient's health while the disorder is being treated.

While the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) may have an opinion regarding this procedure nationally, the scope of practice varies state-by-state, and is dependent on a state's statutory scope for speech-language pathologists.