An x-ray of a patient admitted to the emergency room after a motor vehicle accident reveals rib fractures, and the patient has been diagnosed with a small flail chest injury. The nurse should include which intervention in the patient's plan of care?
A) Suction airway secretions
B) Immobilize the ribs with an abdominal binder
C) Prepare the patient for surgery
D) Immediately sedate and intubate the patient
Ans: A
Feedback: As with rib fracture, treatment of flail check is usually supportive. Management includes ventilatory support, clearing secretions from the lungs, and controlling pain. If only a small segment of the chest is involved, it is important to clear the airway through positioning, coughing, deep breathing, and suctioning. Intubation is required for severe flail chest injuries, and surgery is required only in rare circumstances to stabilize the flail segment.
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