Final answer:
If the water seal breaks in a chest drainage system, immediately clamp the chest tube, submerge the end in sterile water, and notify healthcare personnel.
Step-by-step explanation:
If the water seal of a chest drainage system breaks, it is important to take action immediately to prevent potential complications for the patient. The most important steps to take include:
- Clamping the chest tube momentarily to prevent air from being retracted into the pleural space.
- Submerging the end of the chest tube in sterile water to re-establish the water seal.
- Alerting healthcare personnel to assess and repair the system as soon as possible.
A broken water seal can lead to a pneumothorax or cause the lung to collapse, so prompt response is critical to patient safety.