RN Medical/Surgical NGN HESI 2023 Related

Review RN Medical/Surgical NGN HESI 2023 related questions and content

While assisting a client with a closed chest tube drainage system to move from bed to a chair, the chest tube gets caught on the chair leg and becomes dislodged from the insertion site. What is the immediate priority for the nurse?

  • A. Contacting the physician
  • B. Reinserting the chest tube
  • C. Transferring the client back to bed
  • D. Covering the insertion site with a sterile occlusive dressing
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The immediate priority for the nurse when a chest tube becomes dislodged from the insertion site is to cover the site with a sterile occlusive dressing. This action helps prevent air from entering the pleural space, which could lead to a pneumothorax. The nurse should then perform a respiratory assessment to monitor the client's breathing, assist the client back into bed to a position of comfort, and notify the physician. Reinserting the chest tube is a task for the physician, not the nurse, as it requires specific training and expertise.