Full Answer
What do nurses need to know about pneumothorax?
Which would the nurse most likely expect as treatment for a pneumothorax? Involuntary control of the depth and rate of respirations The nurse is reviewing with a group of clients about the regulators of breathing and how they function.
Is a tension pneumothorax a medical emergency?
Apr 10, 2020 · For more serious pneumothorax, a needle aspiration or chest tube can be inserted into the chest cavity to remove the excess air. During a needle aspiration, a needle attached to a syringe is inserted between the ribs into the air-filled space that is pressing on the collapsed lung and is used to suction out the excess air.
Which physical findings should be assessed in a patient with pneumothorax?
Which would the nurse most likely expect as treatment for a pneumothorax? Chest tube insertion: A nurse is caring for a 73-year-old woman who just arrived to the medical surgical floor following a radical mastectomy for breast cancer. The nurse will encourage the patient to cough and deep breathe to help prevent: Atelectasis
What is the initial treatment for pneumothorax?
Which of these treatments would the nurse most likely expect to be prescribed for a client who is diagnosed with influenza? Select all that apply. 1. Antibiotics within the first 48 hours 2. Antivirals within 24 to 48 hours of symptom onset 3. Adequate fluid intake to avoid dehydration 4. Antipyretics and analgesics for fever and body aches 5.
What are the different types of pneumothorax?
Types of pneumothorax include simple, traumatic, and tension pneumothorax. Simple pneumothorax. A simple or spontaneous pneumothorax occurs when air enters the pleural space through a breach of either the parietal or visceral pleura. Traumatic pneumothorax. A traumatic pneumothorax occurs when air escapes from a laceration in ...
What are the symptoms of pneumothorax?
The signs and symptoms associated with pneumothorax depend on its size and cause. Pain. Pain is usually sudden and may be pleuritic. Minimal respiratory distress. The patient may have only minimal respiratory distress with slight chest discomfort and tachypnea. Dyspnea.
What is a pneumothorax?
What is Pneumothorax? Pneumothorax is one of the disorders of the chest and lower respiratory tract. Pneumothorax, or a collapsed lung, is the collection of air in the spaces around the lungs. The air buildup puts pressure on the lung (s), so it cannot expand as much as it normally.
What causes a traumatic pneumothorax?
Penetrating chest or abdominal trauma. Trauma such as stab wounds or gunshot wounds could cause traumatic pneumothorax.
Why do you need a chest tube?
The priority is to maintain the airway, breathing, and circulation.
Who is Marianne from Nurseslabs?
Marianne is a staff nurse during the day and a Nurseslabs writer at night. She is a registered nurse since 2015 and is currently working in a regional tertiary hospital and is finishing her Master's in Nursing this June. As an outpatient department nurse, she is a seasoned nurse in providing health teachings to her patients making her also an excellent study guide writer for student nurses. Marianne is also a mom of a toddler going through the terrible twos and her free time is spent on reading books!
What is the goal of pneumothorax treatment?
The goal of treatment is to relieve the pressure on the lung and allow it to re-inflate. The type of treatment selected will depend on the cause and severity of the collapse, and on the patient’s overall health. For a minor pneumothorax, your doctor may simply keep an eye on you, as the lung may re-inflate on its own, ...
How to remove air from a collapsed lung?
For more serious pneumothorax, a needle aspiration or chest tube can be inserted into the chest cavity to remove the excess air. During a needle aspiration, a needle attached to a syringe is inserted between the ribs into the air-filled space that is pressing on the collapsed lung and is used to suction out the excess air.
How long does a chest tube stay in?
The tube may need to stay in for a few hours, or even a few days, to ensure that the lung does not collapse again.
Can you go to the hospital after a lung collapse?
Avoiding air travel for the first week after a collapse is often suggested. Diving puts patients at high risk, so most doctors suggest permanently avoiding it . Also, people who smoke are at increased risk of a pneumothorax, so quitting is highly recommended.
What is the nurse's best action when admitting a client diagnosed with influenza to the hospital?
What is the nurse's best action when admitting a client diagnosed with influenza to the hospital?#N#1. Place the client in a semi-private room.#N#2. Avoid placing a mask on the client when in the hallway.#N#3. Start intravenous line and restrict po fluid intake.#N#4. Place the client on droplet precautions.
What is a nurse caring for?
A nurse is caring for a client diagnosed with asthma who has not responded to repeated, frequent doses of bronchodilators. The client also reports chest tightness, wheezing, dry cough, shortness of breath, and severe respiratory distress. What condition could this client be experiencing? 1.
What is the difference between spontaneous pneumothorax and spontaneous pneumothorax?
Primary spontaneous pneumothorax: occurs in people without lung disease and they tend to be young <30 years of age and tall and thin. Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax: occurs in people with lung disease (copd, asthma, cytic fibrosis).
What is closed pneumothorax?
Closed Pneumothorax: when air leaks into the intrapleural space without any outside wound ( hence the chest wall and pleural stay intact). Example of what can cause this: a rib fracture where the sharp, bony part of the bone punctures the lung causing air to be released into the intrapleural space.
What is the opening in the chest wall?
Open Pneumothorax: an opening in the chest wall (from a gun shot, stabbing etc.) that causes a passage between outside air and the intrapleural space. This allows air to pass back and forth during inspiration and expiration. Therefore, the body will shunt air through the chest wall opening instead of the trachea .
What is the space between the parietal and visceral pleura called?
Definition: the collapsing of a lung due to air accumulating in the pleural space (the space between the visceral and parietal pleura which is also called the intrapleural space). Learn more about lung anatomy and physiology.
Why does my water seal chamber keep bubbling?
Water seal chamber: may have intermittent bubbling as air is drained from the pleural space. The water seal chamber fluctuates as the patient breathes in and out. If it stops fluctuating there may be a kink somewhere or the lung has re-expanded.
What Is Pneumothorax?
Classification
Pathophysiology
- The pathophysiology of pneumothorax include: 1. Negative pressure.The negative pressure is required to maintain lung inflation. 2. Breach.When either pleura is breached, air enters the pleural space. 3. Collapse.When positive pressure has entered the pleural space, the lung or a portion of it collapses.
Causes
- The cause leads to the identification of the type of pneumothorax. 1. Rupture of a bleb.Spontaneous pneumothorax may occur in an apparently healthy person in the absence of trauma due to rupture of an air-filled bleb. 2. Blunt trauma.Blunt trauma like rib fractures could cause traumatic pneumothorax. 3. Invasive procedures.Traumatic pneumothorax may occur dur…
Clinical Manifestations
- The signs and symptoms associated with pneumothorax depend on its size and cause. 1. Pain.Pain is usually sudden and may be pleuritic. 2. Minimal respiratory distress.The patient may have only minimal respiratory distress with slight chest discomfort and tachypnea. 3. Dyspnea.Due to pain, the patient has difficulty in breathing. 4. Central cyanosis.The patient may …
Assessment and Diagnosis
- Pneumothorax is assessed and diagnosed with the following: 1. Thoracic CT: Studies show that CT is more sensitive than x-ray in detecting thoracic injuries, lung contusion, hemothorax, and pneumothorax. Early CT may influence therapeutic management. 2. Chest x-ray:Reveals air and/or fluid accumulation in the pleural space; may show a shift of mediastinal structures (heart). 3. AB…
Medical Management
- Medical management of pneumothorax depends on its cause and severity. 1. Chest tube. A small chest tube is inserted near the second intercostal space to drain the fluid and air. For patients with jeopardized gas exchange, chest tube insertionmay be necessary to achieve lung re-expansion. The priority is to maintain the airway, breathing, and circulation. The most important i…
Surgical Management
- If more than 1500 ml of blood is aspirated initially by thoracentesis, the rule is to open the chest wall surgically. 1. Thoracotomy.The chest wall is opened surgically to remove the blood or air trapped in the pleural space.
Practice Quiz: Pneumothorax
- Here’s a 5-item quiz about the study guide. Please visit our nursing test bank for more NCLEX practice questions. 1. An initial characteristic symptom of a simple pneumothorax is: A. ARDS. B. Severe respiratory distress. C. Sudden onset of chest pain. D. Tachypnea and chest discomfort. 2. Clinical manifestations related to pneumothorax include the following except for: A. Pleuritic pai…