A nurse has administered 5 mL of medication to a client via NG tube. They used 30 mL of water to flush the tube both before and after the instillation. The nurse should document which of the following amounts as liquid intake for the client?

A. 65 mL: The total liquid intake includes 30 mL of water used to flush the NG tube before the medication, 5 mL of medication instilled, and 30 mL of water used to flush the tube afterward. Adding these together gives 65 mL, which accurately reflects all fluids administered. B. 5 mL: Documenting only the medication omits the water used for flushing, underrepresenting the client’s total fluid intake. C. 35 mL: This amount accounts only for the post-flush water and medication, it ignores the pre-flush water, resulting in an inaccurate intake record. D. 60 mL: This underestimates the total intake by failing to include all three components correctly; precise documentation is essential for fluid balance monitoring.