Question

A nurse is caring for a client with a chest tube after being injured in a car accident. Which action of the nurse best describes how to maintain the water seal on the tube?

a. Maintain the water at 12 cm or more in the chamber
b. Ensure that the chest tube chamber is kept upright
c. Keep the head of the client's bed flat
d. Maintain the chest tube at the level of the client's waist or above

Answer 1

To maintain the water seal on a chest tube, the nurse should keep the water at 12 cm or more in the chamber, ensure that the chest tube is kept at the level of the client's waist or above, and keep the chest tube chamber upright.

Step-by-step explanation:

To maintain the water seal on a chest tube, the nurse should maintain the water at 12 cm or more in the chamber. This ensures that there is enough water in the chamber to create a seal and prevent air from entering the chest cavity. It is important to keep the chest tube at the level of the client's waist or above to prevent any backflow of fluid or air into the chest. The upright position of the chest tube chamber also helps to maintain the water seal by ensuring that the water remains in the chamber and does not flow back into the patient's chest.