When should you clamp a chest tube? Almost never. Clamping a chest tube prematurely traps air in the space between the lungs and chest wall, increasing pleural cavity pressure. If too much air accumulates the lung may collapse. This is called a tension pneumothorax. Always double check that you have a provider order prior to clamping a chest tube. | Nursing and NCLEX Mastery

What’s a Chest Tube? 👇 A chest tube is a flexible plastic tube inserted into the chest to help remove: 🫁 Air (like in a pneumothorax) 💧 Fluid (like blood or pus from infection, trauma, or surgery) This helps the lungs re-expand and makes it easier for the patient to breathe! #MedSurgMadeSimple #NurseInTheMaking #futureRN | Nurse In The Making

Learn the ins & outs of chest tubes with nurse educator Michele Lilienthal, RN, MA, CEN, TCRN 🙌👩🏻‍⚕️ ✅ Setting up a chest tube ✅ Changing the collection chamber ✅ Managing chest tube drainage Link to full length video here: https://mynursingmastery.builtbyhlt.com/?beta_token=aKC42Q9FhKWax4R3wMiA&sc=&_ga=2.164330424.623344456.1594659774-1870874690.1589462408&sc=1011900082102292 | Nursing and NCLEX Mastery