The nurse is preparing to remove a patient’s chest tube. Which instruction does the nurse give the patient?

“Take a deep breath and then hold it as I pull the tube out.”. It is vital that the patient either take a deep breath and hold it or breathe out as the chest tube is being removed in order to prevent re-accumulation of air in the chest cavity through the insertion site. Although the patient needs to be premedicated because it is a painful procedure, the patient should not be sedated as that will affect their ability to comply with instructions. Breathing normally or taking a deep breath in while the tube is being removed may result in re-accumulation of air in the chest cavity.

The nurse is preparing to remove a patient’s chest tube. Wh...

Category: Reduction of Risk Potential
Difficulty: 6

Topics: Communication & Documentation Respiratory

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