Pneumothorax for Certified Emergency Nursing (CEN)
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Outline
Pneumothorax
Definition/Etiology:
An accumulation of air in the pleural space. This can be caused spontaneously, or from an injury. Whether open or closed, the patient is going to be experiencing some type of pleuritic chest pain and dyspnea. One of the gold signs of a pneumothorax is decreased or absent lung sounds on the affected side. The goal of treatment is to equalize the pressure.
Causes can be:
- Trauma
- Primary spontaneous: No active disease…Marfans, scuba diving, high altitude.
- Secondary spontaneous: from a disease process such as COPD, or a bleb
- Iatrogenic: From a bad central line insertion
Pathophysiology:
Air entering the pleural space can compress the lung and can cause partial or complete collapse. The pleural cavity is inherently a negative pressure environment, and this “leak” causes a loss of that negative pressure.
Clinical Presentation:
In most pneumo:
- Chest pain
- Dyspnea
- Cough
- Restlessness
- Tachypnea
In tension:
- The above
- Signs of obstructive shock: Hypotension, cyanosis, tachycardia
- JVD secondary to mediastinal shift (LATE)
- Deviated trachea away from affected side
- Decreased LOC as condition worsens
In Open:
- The above and:
- Some sort of hole!
- “Sucking” sound heard with respiration
Bubbling around chest wound with exhalation
IN ALL – Markedly decreased or absent lung sounds on affected side!
Collaborative Management:
- Clinical assessment: Paint a picture for a diagnosis!
- Chest X-Ray
- Needle decompression: 14-16g over the needle catheter, 3-6cm in length. Above the third rib, midclavicular line – affected side!
- Chest tube insertion
Evaluation | Patient Monitoring | Education:
- Maintain chest drainage system (separate lecture)
- Maintain O2 Saturation
- VS monitoring
- Prep for OR if necessary (likely in traumatic open PTX).
- With open PTX, or with chest tube in place, observe for development of tension PTX
- We also need to watch our intubated patients. Mechanical ventilation can cause a tension PTX as well. Make sure you are collaborating with RT
Linchpins: (Key Points)
- Use your eyes and ears
- Needle Decomp
- Chest tube
- Continued monitoring
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Transcript
For more great CEN prep, got to the link below to purchase the “Emergency Nursing Examination Review” book by Dr. Laura Gasparis Vonfrolio RN, PHD
https://greatnurses.com/
References:
- Emergency Nurses Association. (2022). Emergency Nursing Orientation 3.0. Cambridge, MA: Elsevier, Inc.
- Sheehy, S. B., Hammond, B. B., & Zimmerman, P. G. (2013). Sheehy’s manual of emergency care (Vol. 7th Edition). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier/Mosby.
- ✓Full lesson outlines
- ✓NCLEX simulator (SIMCLEX)
- ✓6,500+ practice questions
- ✓2,000+ lesson videos
- ✓300+ cheatsheets
200% NCLEX Pass Guarantee.
No Contract. Cancel Anytime.
Study Guide pre LPN-RN
Concepts Covered:
- Cardiac Disorders
- Cardiovascular
- Emergency Care of the Cardiac Patient
- Shock
- Shock
- Disorders of the Posterior Pituitary Gland
- Endocrine
- Disorders of Pancreas
- Disorders of the Thyroid & Parathyroid Glands
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- Central Nervous System Disorders – Brain
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- Noninfectious Respiratory Disorder
- Respiratory
- Hematologic Disorders
- Delegation
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- Acute & Chronic Renal Disorders
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- Disorders of the Adrenal Gland
- Documentation and Communication
- Preoperative Nursing
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- Intraoperative Nursing
- Medication Administration
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- Newborn Complications
- Peripheral Nervous System Disorders
- Studying
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- Communication
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- Emergency Care of the Trauma Patient
- Urinary Disorders
- Integumentary Disorders
- Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Circulatory System
- EENT Disorders
- Postoperative Nursing
- Neurological Emergencies
- Disorders of Thermoregulation
- Neurological Trauma
- Basics of NCLEX
- Fundamentals of Emergency Nursing
- Integumentary Important Points
- Multisystem
- Test Taking Strategies
- Tissues and Glands
- Urinary System
- Emergency Care of the Neurological Patient
- Neurologic and Cognitive Disorders
- Central Nervous System Disorders – Spinal Cord
- Renal and Urinary Disorders
- Nervous System
- Respiratory Disorders
- Respiratory System
- Infectious Disease Disorders
- EENT Disorders
- Emergency Care of the Respiratory Patient
- Health & Stress
- Skeletal System
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- Digestive System
- Reproductive System
- Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
- Muscular System
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- Basics of Human Biology
- Adult
- Anxiety Disorders
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- Dosage Calculations
- Understanding Society
- Concepts of Pharmacology
- Newborn Care
- Adulthood Growth and Development
- Pregnancy Risks
- Postpartum Complications
- Substance Abuse Disorders
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- Prioritization
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- Community Health Overview