Question

A patient's primary care provider has informed the nurse that the patient will require thoracentesis. The nurse should suspect that the patient has developed which of the following disorders of lung function?

a) Pleural effusion
b) Tachypnea
c) Wheezes
d) Pneumonia

Answer 1

A nurse should suspect pleural effusion if a patient requires thoracentesis, a procedure done to remove excess fluid from the space surrounding the lungs.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a patient requires a thoracentesis, the nurse should suspect that the patient has developed pleural effusion. This condition occurs when excess fluid accumulates in the pleural cavity, the space between the lungs and the chest wall. Thoracentesis is a procedure performed to remove this fluid and can help relieve symptoms such as chest pain and difficulty breathing. Pleural effusion can be associated with various conditions, including pneumonia, cancer, and congestive heart failure. Of the options provided—pleural effusion, tachypnea, wheezes, and pneumonia—the correct answer is pleural effusion, as it is directly related to the accumulation of fluid in the pleural space which thoracentesis aims to address.