Nokea
A nurse is educating a patient in anticipation of a procedure that will require a water-sealed chest drainage system. What should the nurse tell the patient and the family that this drainage system is used for?
- A. Maintaining positive chest-wall pressure
- B. Monitoring pleural fluid osmolarity
- C. Providing positive intrathoracic pressure
- D. Removing excess air and fluid
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Chest tubes and closed drainage systems are used to re-expand the lung involved and to remove excess air, fluid, and blood. They are not used to maintain positive chest-wall pressure, monitor pleural fluid, or provide positive intrathoracic pressure.
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The nurse caring for a patient with an endotracheal tube recognizes several disadvantages of an endotracheal tube. What would the nurse recognize as a disadvantage of endotracheal tubes?
- A. Cognition is decreased
- B. Daily arterial blood gases (ABGs) are necessary
- C. Slight tracheal bleeding is anticipated
- D. The cough reflex is depressed
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: There are several disadvantages of an endotracheal tube. Disadvantages include suppression of the patients cough reflex, thickening of secretions, and depressed swallowing reflexes. Ulceration and stricture of the larynx or trachea may develop, but bleeding is not an expected finding. The tube should not influence cognition and daily ABGs are not always required.
A critical care nurse is caring for a client with an endotracheal tube who is on a ventilator. The nurse knows that meticulous airway management of this patient is necessary. What is the main rationale for this?
- A. Maintaining a patent airway
- B. Preventing the need for suctioning
- C. Maintaining the sterility of the patients airway
- D. Increasing the patients lung compliance
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Maintaining a patent (open) airway is achieved through meticulous airway management, whether in an emergency situation such as airway obstruction or in long-term management, as in caring for a patient with an endotracheal or a tracheostomy tube. The other answers are incorrect.
The home care nurse is planning to begin breathing retraining exercises with a client newly admitted to the home health service. The home care nurse knows that breathing retraining is especially indicated if the patient has what diagnosis?
- A. Asthma
- B. Pneumonia
- C. Lung cancer
- D. COPD
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Breathing retraining is especially indicated in patients with COPD and dyspnea. Breathing retraining may be indicated in patients with other lung pathologies, but not to the extent indicated in patients with COPD.
The nurse is assessing a patient who has a chest tube in place for the treatment of a pneumothorax. The nurse observes that the water level in the water seal rises and falls in rhythm with the patients respirations. How should the nurse best respond to this assessment finding?
- A. Gently reinsert the chest tube 1 to 2 cm and observe if the water level stabilizes
- B. Inform the physician promptly that there is in imminent leak in the drainage system
- C. Encourage the patient to do deep breathing and coughing exercises
- D. Document that the chest drainage system is operating as it is intended
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Fluctuation of the water level in the water seal shows effective connection between the pleural cavity and the drainage chamber and indicates that the drainage system remains patent. No further action is needed.
The nurse is discussing activity management with a patient who is postoperative following thoracotomy. What instructions should the nurse give to the patient regarding activity immediately following discharge?
- A. Walk 1 mile 3 to 4 times a week
- B. Use weights daily to increase arm strength
- C. Walk on a treadmill 30 minutes daily
- D. Perform shoulder exercises five times daily
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The nurse emphasizes the importance of progressively increased activity. The nurse also instructs the patient on the importance of performing shoulder exercises five times daily. The patient should ambulate with limits and realize that the return of strength will likely be gradual and likely will not include weight lifting or lengthy walks.