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

Answer 1

A thoracentesis is typically performed to treat pleural effusion, which is the accumulation of fluid in the pleural space of the lungs. Other lung disorders such as tachypnea, wheezes, and pneumonia are diagnosed differently and do not generally involve this procedure.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a patient is scheduled for a thoracentesis, the nurse should suspect the patient has developed pleural effusion. A thoracentesis is a procedure where fluid is drained from the space between the lungs and chest wall, known as the pleural space, which occurs in pleural effusion. Tachypnea, wheezes, and pneumonia are other disorders of lung function, yet they don't typically require a thoracentesis. Nonetheless, wheezing could be a symptom related to other lung conditions, which are often diagnosed using a nebulizer or spirometry to assess airflow and lung function. While pneumonia can lead to fluid in the alveoli, it is usually diagnosed with a chest radiograph, sputum sample, and listening for certain sounds in the lungs, like crackling, as well as other tests if necessary.