Question

A patient with a gunshot wound to the right side of the chest arrives in the emergency department exhibiting severe shortness of breath with decreased breath sounds on the right side of the chest. Which action should the nurse take immediately?

A) Begin CPR.
B) Obtain a chest X-ray.
C) Start oxygen therapy.
D) Prepare for a chest tube insertion.

Answer 1

The nurse should prepare for a chest tube insertion to relieve a pneumothorax or hemothorax in a patient with a gunshot wound to the right side of the chest and severe shortness of breath.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse should immediately prepare for a chest tube insertion in a patient with a gunshot wound to the right side of the chest, severe shortness of breath, and decreased breath sounds on the right side of the chest. A chest tube insertion is necessary to relieve a pneumothorax or hemothorax, which can occur as a result of lung injury from the gunshot wound. Inserting a chest tube will help reexpand the lung and improve breathing.