Immediate interventions for a patient with a sucking chest wound include: Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected. Select all that apply
1. Administer pain medication.
2. Continue to monitor pulse oximetry and respiratory characteristics.
3. Prepare for emergency intubation.
4. Prepare the patient for chest tube insertion.
5. Apply a dressing that is taped on three sides.
1,2,4,5
Rationale 1: Pain medication will allow an ease in the breathing effort and reduce pain on insertion of the chest tube.
Rationale 2: The nurse will continuously monitor pulse oximetry and respiratory characteristics.
Rationale 3: Emergency intubation may not be required because the patient can still breathe. The problem is not the effort to inhale or exhale air but to expand the collapsed lung tissue and prevent pressure buildup in the enclosed lung cavity.
Rationale 4: Chest tubes are used to reinflate lung tissue by creating a negative pressure.
Rationale 5: A sucking chest wound sucks atmospheric air into the chest cavity with each breath. Closing off this air will decrease the collapse of lung tissue by using a dressing that allows air to leave the chest cavity (thus not taping all four sides) but decreasing the intake of air on inhalation.
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