MDC 3 Exam 2 Rasmussen
University Questions And Verified
Answers Latest 2026 Update | Graded
A+ | 100% Success
Nursing Care for Chest Tubes-The Patient - Correct Answer -•Ensure that the
dressing on the chest around the tube is tight and intact. Depending on agency
policy and the surgeon's preference, reinforce or change loose dressings.
•Assess for difficulty breathing.
•Assess breathing effectiveness by pulse oximetry.
•Listen to breath sounds for each lung.
•Check alignment of trachea.
•Check tube insertion site for condition of the skin. Palpate area for puffiness or
crackling that may indicate subcutaneous emphysema.
•Observe site for signs of infection (redness, purulent drainage) or excessive
bleeding.
•Check to see if tube "eyelets" are visible.
•Assess for pain and its location and intensity and administer drugs for pain as
prescribed.
•Assist patient to deep breathe, cough, perform maximal sustained inhalations,
and use incentive spirometry.
•Reposition the patient who reports a "burning" pain in the chest.
,Nursing Care for Chest Tubes-The Drainage System - Correct Answer -Keep
drainage system lower than the level of the patient's chest.
•Do not "strip" the chest tube.
Keep the chest tube as straight as possible from the bed to the suction unit,
avoiding kinks and dependent loops. Extra tubing can be loosely coiled on the
bed.
• Ensure that the chest tube is securely taped to the connector and that the
connector is taped to the tubing going into the collection chamber.
• Assess bubbling in the water-seal chamber; should be gentle bubbling on
patient's exhalation, forceful cough, position changes.
• Assess for "tidaling" (rise and fall of water in chamber three with breathing).
• Check water level in the water-seal chamber and keep at the level
recommended by the manufacturer.
• Check water level in the suction control chamber and keep at the level
prescribed by the surgeon (unless dry suction system is used).
Clamp the chest tube only for brief periods to change the drainage system or
when checking for air leaks.
,• Check and document amount, color, and characteristics of fluid in the collection
chamber as often as needed according to the patient's condition and agency
policy.
• Empty collection chamber or change the system before the drainage makes
contact with the bottom of the tube.
• When a sample of drainage is needed for culture or
other laboratory test, obtain it from the chest tube; after cleaning chest tube, use
a 20-gauge (or smaller) needle and draw up specimen into a syringe.
Nursing Care for Chest Tubes-Emergencies - Correct Answer -•Tracheal deviation
•Sudden onset or increased intensity of dyspnea
•Oxygen saturation less than 90%
•Drainage greater than 70 mL/hr
•Visible eyelets on chest tube
•Chest tube falls out of the patient's chest (first, cover the area with dry, sterile
gauze)
•Chest tube disconnects from the drainage system (first, put end of tube in a
container of sterile water and keep below the level of the patient's chest)
•Drainage in tube stops (in the first 24 hours)
Interventions for Palliation - Correct Answer -•Oxygen therapy
, •Drug therapy
•Radiation therapy
•Thoracentesis and pleurodesis
•Dyspnea management
•Pain management
•Hospice care
Based on the patient's diagnosis, which clinical manifestations would the nurse
expect to see when assessing this patient? (Select all that apply.)
A.Bradycardia
B.Shortness of breath
C.Use of accessory muscles
D.Sitting in a forward posture
E.Barrel chest appearance - Correct Answer -ANS: B, C, D, E
The patient with COPD often has a barrel chest appearance, is short of breath, and
may use accessory muscles when breathing. These patients tend to move slowly
and are slightly stooped. Usually they sit with a forward-bending posture. With
severe dyspnea, they exhibit activity intolerance and activities such as bathing and
grooming are avoided.
University Questions And Verified
Answers Latest 2026 Update | Graded
A+ | 100% Success
Nursing Care for Chest Tubes-The Patient - Correct Answer -•Ensure that the
dressing on the chest around the tube is tight and intact. Depending on agency
policy and the surgeon's preference, reinforce or change loose dressings.
•Assess for difficulty breathing.
•Assess breathing effectiveness by pulse oximetry.
•Listen to breath sounds for each lung.
•Check alignment of trachea.
•Check tube insertion site for condition of the skin. Palpate area for puffiness or
crackling that may indicate subcutaneous emphysema.
•Observe site for signs of infection (redness, purulent drainage) or excessive
bleeding.
•Check to see if tube "eyelets" are visible.
•Assess for pain and its location and intensity and administer drugs for pain as
prescribed.
•Assist patient to deep breathe, cough, perform maximal sustained inhalations,
and use incentive spirometry.
•Reposition the patient who reports a "burning" pain in the chest.
,Nursing Care for Chest Tubes-The Drainage System - Correct Answer -Keep
drainage system lower than the level of the patient's chest.
•Do not "strip" the chest tube.
Keep the chest tube as straight as possible from the bed to the suction unit,
avoiding kinks and dependent loops. Extra tubing can be loosely coiled on the
bed.
• Ensure that the chest tube is securely taped to the connector and that the
connector is taped to the tubing going into the collection chamber.
• Assess bubbling in the water-seal chamber; should be gentle bubbling on
patient's exhalation, forceful cough, position changes.
• Assess for "tidaling" (rise and fall of water in chamber three with breathing).
• Check water level in the water-seal chamber and keep at the level
recommended by the manufacturer.
• Check water level in the suction control chamber and keep at the level
prescribed by the surgeon (unless dry suction system is used).
Clamp the chest tube only for brief periods to change the drainage system or
when checking for air leaks.
,• Check and document amount, color, and characteristics of fluid in the collection
chamber as often as needed according to the patient's condition and agency
policy.
• Empty collection chamber or change the system before the drainage makes
contact with the bottom of the tube.
• When a sample of drainage is needed for culture or
other laboratory test, obtain it from the chest tube; after cleaning chest tube, use
a 20-gauge (or smaller) needle and draw up specimen into a syringe.
Nursing Care for Chest Tubes-Emergencies - Correct Answer -•Tracheal deviation
•Sudden onset or increased intensity of dyspnea
•Oxygen saturation less than 90%
•Drainage greater than 70 mL/hr
•Visible eyelets on chest tube
•Chest tube falls out of the patient's chest (first, cover the area with dry, sterile
gauze)
•Chest tube disconnects from the drainage system (first, put end of tube in a
container of sterile water and keep below the level of the patient's chest)
•Drainage in tube stops (in the first 24 hours)
Interventions for Palliation - Correct Answer -•Oxygen therapy
, •Drug therapy
•Radiation therapy
•Thoracentesis and pleurodesis
•Dyspnea management
•Pain management
•Hospice care
Based on the patient's diagnosis, which clinical manifestations would the nurse
expect to see when assessing this patient? (Select all that apply.)
A.Bradycardia
B.Shortness of breath
C.Use of accessory muscles
D.Sitting in a forward posture
E.Barrel chest appearance - Correct Answer -ANS: B, C, D, E
The patient with COPD often has a barrel chest appearance, is short of breath, and
may use accessory muscles when breathing. These patients tend to move slowly
and are slightly stooped. Usually they sit with a forward-bending posture. With
severe dyspnea, they exhibit activity intolerance and activities such as bathing and
grooming are avoided.
