What does a nurse do for a pneumothorax?

The priority is to maintain the airway, breathing, and circulation. The most important interventions focus on reinflating the lung by evacuating the pleural air. Patients with a primary spontaneous pneumothorax that is small with minimal symptoms may have spontaneous sealing and lung re-expansion.


What should a nurse do if a patient has a pneumothorax?

Nursing Interventions
  1. Apply a dressing over an open chest wound.
  2. Administer oxygen as prescribed.
  3. Position the client in high fowler's position.
  4. Prepare for chest tube placement until the lung has expanded fully.
  5. Monitor chest tube drainage system.
  6. Monitor for subcutaneous emphysema.


How do you treat a patient with pneumothorax?

Treatment for a pneumothorax usually involves inserting a needle or chest tube between the ribs to remove the excess air. However, a small pneumothorax may heal on its own.


What is the first line treatment for pneumothorax?

A chest tube (or intercostal drain) is the most definitive initial treatment of a pneumothorax.

What are three 3 manifestations of a pneumothorax that nurse should monitor for?

Anatomy changes with a tension pneumothorax: mediastinal shift causes heart, trachea, esophagus, and vessels to shift to the UNAFFECTED side and this will compress the unaffected lung and venous vessels. Major Signs and Symptoms of Tension Pneumothorax: Major: Tachycardia, Tachypnea, Hypotension and Hypoxia.


Pneumothorax - causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, pathology



How do you assess a patient with pneumothorax?

Physical exam findings for a pneumothorax are unequal breath sounds, hyperresonance with percussion over the chest wall, and decreased wall movement on the affected side of the chest. The chest wall should be palpated and any crepitance or signs of trauma should be noted.

How do you position a patient with a pneumothorax?

Position the patient

The preferred position for standard pleural drain insertion is on the bed, head and trunk elevated 30-45 degrees and slightly rotated, with the arm on the side of the lesion behind the patients head or on the hips to expose the lateral decubitus position.

Do you give oxygen for pneumothorax?

Oxygen. High flow oxygen (>28%) should usually be given to individuals with a pneumothorax in order to maintain adequate oxygenation (saturation >92%) to vital organs.


Should you take deep breaths with pneumothorax?

Do regular deep breathing exercises, ie, 5 deep breaths every hour. If you feel the need to cough, you should cough in order to clear any phlegm, although it may be painful.

What is the gold standard for pneumothorax?

Computed tomography, the gold standard for the detection of pneumothorax, requires patients to be transported out of the clinical area, compromising their hemodynamic stability and delaying the diagnosis.

What are the initial presenting signs of a patient with a pneumothorax?

History – Pneumothorax most often presents with sudden onset of dyspnea and pleuritic chest pain. Since pneumothorax is usually unilateral, the pain is usually felt on the ipsilateral side, but may be central or bilateral in rare cases where pneumothorax is bilateral.


What's the most important treatment for the client with tension pneumothorax?

Treatment of tension pneumothorax is immediate needle decompression by inserting a large-bore (eg, 14- or 16-gauge) needle into the 2nd intercostal space in the midclavicular line.

What are 5 nursing responsibilities in the care of a patient with a closed chest drainage system?

  • Don gloves.
  • Apply pressure to insertion site.
  • Place occlusive dressing over site.
  • Notify medical staff.
  • Check Coagulation results.
  • Check drain chamber to ensure no excessive blood loss.


What are the nursing responsibilities when caring for a patient with a chest tube?

Once the chest tube is in place, verified by x-ray, and attached to a drainage device, nurses are tasked with monitoring the patient and the drainage device. This would include monitoring vital signs as directed, observing for pain and signs of infection, and assessing the tube and drain system (5).


What are priority nursing interventions for a client with a chest tube?

For treatment of pleural- space disruptions, chest-tube therapy should focus on three primary objectives: - removing air and fluid as promptly as possible - preventing drained air and fluid from returning to the pleural space - restoring negative pressure within the pleural space to reexpand the lung.

What breath sounds are heard with pneumothorax?

Tension pneumothorax is classically characterized by hypotension and hypoxia. On examination, breath sounds are absent on the affected hemothorax and the trachea deviates away from the affected side. The thorax may also be hyperresonant; jugular venous distention and tachycardia may be present.

What are 3 signs and symptoms of a pneumothorax?

What are the Symptoms of Pneumothorax?
  • Sharp, stabbing chest pain that worsens when trying to breath in.
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Bluish skin caused by a lack of oxygen.
  • Fatigue.
  • Rapid breathing and heartbeat.
  • A dry, hacking cough.


Does blood pressure drop with pneumothorax?

If you have a collapsed lung, there are decreased breath sounds or no breath sounds on the affected side. You may also have low blood pressure.

What is the best position for a patient who is struggling to breathe?

Lie on your side with a pillow between your legs and your head elevated with pillows. Keep your back straight. Lie on your back with your head elevated and your knees bent, with a pillow under your knees.

Where do you drain pneumothorax?

The drain should be inserted just above the rib. Any other placement should be discussed with a senior clinician eg. in the presence of an apical pneumothorax, placement of a chest tube in the 2nd intercostal space should be considered. A specific position may also be required for a loculated effusion.


How do you drain a pneumothorax?

Percutaneous Drainage Catheter Insertion

In some patients, it may be helpful to inject saline into the pleural cavity to separate the visceral pleura from the parietal pleura, creating a larger space in which to place catheters and thus reducing the risk of pneumothorax.

What is the nursing assessment for lungs?

A focused respiratory objective assessment includes interpretation of vital signs; inspection of the patient's breathing pattern, skin color, and respiratory status; palpation to identify abnormalities; and auscultation of lung sounds using a stethoscope.

What are five 5 signs and symptoms of a tension pneumothorax?

What are the signs and symptoms of tension pneumothorax? Individuals with tension pneumothorax may present severe shortness of breath, shallow breathing, and acute chest pain, along with low blood oxygen levels, increased heart rate, low blood pressure, and altered mental status.


What is the most common assessment finding in a patient with a tension pneumothorax?

Some patients may be asymptomatic, and pneumothorax is diagnosed as an incidental finding during the workup for another condition. The most common presenting symptoms are chest pain and shortness of breath (64 to 85%). Chest pain is usually severe, sharp/stabbing, pleuritic and radiates to ipsilateral shoulder/arm.

What are the nurse's responsibilities to the patients?

Registered Nurse Job Duties and Responsibilities

Assessing, observing, and speaking to patients. Recording details and symptoms of patient medical history and current health. Preparing patients for exams and treatment. Administering medications and treatments, then monitoring patients for side effects and reactions.