Final answer:
A 36 French (36F) chest tube should be available to drain air from the chest as it is suitable for removing air and reestablishing negative pressure in the chest cavity, which is vital for lung reexpansion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse should have available a chest tube of size 36 French (36F) for the insertion to drain air from the chest. A smaller tube, such as 14F or 26F, may be used for other purposes, but a larger bore chest tube like 36F or 40F is often chosen for pneumothorax to ensure adequate drainage of air. Suction is applied to the chest cavity to reestablish negative pressure and inflate the lungs, which is necessary because the gauge pressure in the liquid creating the attachment of the lungs to the inside of the chest wall is naturally negative. If air enters the chest cavity, it can cause lung collapse. Therefore, the appropriate chest tube size facilitates the reexpansion of the collapsed lung by effectively removing the air and reestablishing the necessary negative pressure.