Question

The nurse is caring for a patient with 2 chest tubes on the right that are "Y'd" to 1 "wet" chest drainage unit. There is bubbling in the suction control chamber.

The nurse knows this indicates:
A. The patient has an air leak.
B. Chest tube is to water seal drainage.
C. The chest tube is to suction.
D. The lung is fully expanded.

Answer 1

Bubbling in the suction control chamber of a wet chest drainage unit indicates that the chest tube is to suction, ensuring the reestablishment of negative pressure which is necessary for proper lung expansion.

Step-by-step explanation:

The presence of bubbling in the suction control chamber of a wet chest drainage unit indicates that the chest tube is to suction. This is because the chest tubes that are "Y'd" to one wet chest drainage unit create a controlled suction environment to reestablish negative pressure within the pleural cavity, which assists the lungs to expand properly.

Negative pressure is essential for lung expansion as it counteracts the natural tendency of the lungs to collapse due to surface tension within the alveoli. The negative pressure ranges from -4 to -8 mm Hg, and creating a suction environment helps maintain this vital pressure, preventing lung collapse following surgery or trauma. Continuous bubbling in the suction control chamber typically does not indicate a fully expanded lung or an air leak; it simply shows that suction is being applied.