The nurse caring for a client who has a pneumothorax notes continuous bubbling in the water seal chamber of the client's closed-chest drainage system. The nurse determines that which of the following is occurring?
1. The pneumothorax is resolving.
2. The drainage chamber is full.
3. The suction to the system is shut off.
4. There is an air leak somewhere in the system.
4
Rationale: Continuous bubbling through both inspiration and expiration indicates that there is air leaking into the system. A resolving pneumothorax or a full drainage chamber would not cause bubbling with respiration in the water seal chamber. Shutting the suction off to the system stops bubbling in the suction control chamber but does not affect the water seal chamber.
You might also like to view...
A nurse is reviewing laboratory values for several clients. Which value causes the nurse to conduct nutritional assessments as a priority?
a. Albumin: 3.5 g/dL b. Cholesterol: 142 mg/dL c. Hemoglobin: 9.8 mg/dL d. Prealbumin: 28 mg/dL
The most common reason for employee error is:
1. lack of adequate supervision. 2. lack of adequate staffing. 3. lack of knowledge. 4. lack of adequate counseling.
The nurse is examining a 65 year old and palpates a mobile, smooth, round-shaped mass in the left lower abdominal quadrant. The nurse would correctly choose which of the following actions next?
1. Ask the client if she is menstruating. 2. Report the findings to the healthcare provider. 3. Re-examine the area using a vaginal speculum. 4. Ask the client if she could be pregnant.
A patient tells the nurse that he feels more energetic when he wears oxygen. What would the nurse consider prior to responding to this statement?
1. The patient's ability to extract oxygen is increased by wearing oxygen. 2. Increasing oxygen availability has shifted the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve to the left. 3. Increasing availability of oxygen has produced more adenosine triphosphate. 4. Increased oxygen increases energy by breaking down carbohydrates.