Mr. Smith, a 77-year-old man who was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) post-surgery for peritonitis following a

[answerhappygod]

Mr. Smith, a 77-year-old man who was admitted to the
intensive care unit (ICU) post-surgery for peritonitis
following a perforated colon. Due to your superior intellect
nursing skills over the course of a few days, he is stabilized
and recovering from sepsis. You are now attempting to wean him
off of the ventilator. Unfortunately, on his way home from
the hospital he hits a tree and sustains blunt chest trauma. A
chest tube was inserted in the ER to treat a pneumothorax and
hemothorax. Although he is in a lot of pain, he is ecstatic to
have you as his nurse again. You note that the drainage system
has drained 400ml of light red fluid in the first 6hrs after
insertion. The patient is becoming increasingly anxious and
SOB during the past hour. He is recovering well and hopes to
have his chest tube out soon. He receives a phone call
from his daughter that his wife is being admitted with COPD
exacerbation. He tells you that his wife is 72 years old and
this is her 3rd time being admitted this year for the same
problem. The daughter describes that she had to bring her in
as she became extremely anxious and SOB despite wearing her
oxygen as ordered.

2. Describe the purpose of the chest tube and
nursing considerations for placement and removal. When would
you anticipate a patient is in need of a chest tube and how do
you determine when a patient is ready to have one
removed?
3. What do you think about his drainage?
Are you concerned? Why or why not?
4. Discuss briefly your understanding of the
pathophysiology of COPD as it relates to this
patients’ manifestations.