The nurse is evaluating a post-thoracotomy patient who has a chest tube. To properly maintain chest tube function the nurse's best action is to:
A. strip the tube every hour to maintain drainage.
B. place the device below the patient's chest.
C. double clamp the tubes except during assessments.
D. remove the tubing from the drainage device to check for proper suctioning.
B
Stripping the chest tube causes complications because it creates excessive negative intrapleural pressure. Milking causes less of a pressure change. Chest tubes are only clamped under specific circumstances per physician's or health care provider's order or nursing policy to assess for an air leak, to quickly empty or change disposable drainage systems, or to assess if the chest tube is ready to be removed.
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