Question

A respiratory therapist is alerted by a low-volume ventilator alarm on a patient who has a chest tube drainage system in place. Set tidal volume is 600 mL while return tidal volume is 190 mL. The therapist should FIRST?

1) clamp the chest tube near the patient
2) increase tidal volume to compensate
3) insert an additional chest tube
4) disconnect the chest tube from wall suction pressure

Answer 1

The respiratory therapist should first assess for disconnections or leaks in the chest tube system and patient's status when alerted by a low-volume ventilator alarm, indicating a discrepancy between the set tidal volume and the returned volume.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a respiratory therapist is alerted by a low-volume ventilator alarm and the patient has a chest tube drainage system in place, the first action to take is to assess the patient and the chest tube system for disconnections or leaks. The discrepancy between the set tidal volume (600 mL) and the return tidal volume (190 mL) suggests a potential leak in the chest tube system or a problem with the patient's lung integrity.

It is not appropriate to clamp the chest tube, increase tidal volume, insert an additional chest tube, or disconnect it from wall suction without first assessing the situation. The therapist should look for kinks in the tubing, disconnections, or loose connections, and check the water seal and drainage system for proper function. If no problem is found with the chest tube system, the therapist should then assess the patient for potential causes such as a pneumothorax or worsening lung condition.