water seal chamber and suction chamber (confused)

Drainage system should:

Have NO bubbling in water seal chamber - If does - indicates air leak

Have bubbling in suction control chamber.

Should have fluctuating fluid level in water seal chamber. If none - means obstruction or clot.

The fluctuation shouldn't change while the tube is inserted because it's fluctuating due to normal ventilation. When all of the fluid has been drained, if fluid was the reason for chest tube insertion (there are others - look them up!) indicated by a decreasing amount of drainage in the collection chamber, the doctor will discontinue and remove the chest tubes if everything looks fine.

The most important nursing action, and the one that always seems to be tested on, is about what to do if the chest tube becomes detached from the chest wall (read: the chest tubes get pulled out, normally from patient or care provider stepping on the tubes while moving around and ripping them out - OUCH!). In this instance, the nurse's priority is to cover the open area with a gauze taped in three areas (basically a non-occlusive dressing) and notify the doctor. While waiting for the doctor to arrive, you should be monitoring your patient for signs/symptoms of tension pneumothorax. After reinsertion of a new chest tube system, the doctor should order a chest xray to confirm placement.

Just a point to remember, when there are air bubbles in the water seal/air leak meter it does not always mean there is a leak; Know what is being drained from the pleural space because when draining a pneumothorax there should be air bubbles present (though they should be decreasing as time goes on).

as well, when using dry suction, be sure the suction monitor bellows indicates that suction is in fact working (i have seen this as a accordion type spring, as seen in first pic above, and as a check mark). When using wet suction, be sure the suction control chamber is not only set to the right pressure, but that there is a constant, gentle stream of bubbles through it, this indicates suction is working properly.

Good explanation