Tension pneumothorax is a life-threatening condition in which air between the chest wall and the lung tissue presses on the heart, lungs, and mediastinum. If the air is not released from the chest cavity immediately, the patient can become hemodynamically compromised. The nurse should assume the provider will perform a needle aspiration as quickly as possible. This will generally be followed by a chest tube insertion. Sending a person for chest CT would be inappropriate as the diagnosis has already been made. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is not indicated in the acute phase of tension pneumothorax. Endotracheal intubation may be performed at some point, but it is not the first intervention for tension pneumothorax.