cindie mill

can anyone help me..... if I have a closed-chest tube drainage system without suction, what as a nurse when I first hook it up would I expect to see..... There is no suction, so is there still fluctuation (tidalling) with inspiration and expiration, even though there is no suction... I know you would expect to see some bubbles, representing the air leak.... but I'm not sure about the tidalling without wall suction... HELP!!

I really don't think we have had much experience with ng tubes and therefore I find it really hard to come up with rationale for my decisions; and textbooks don't always cut it. I know that checking tube placement is essential before admin. meds, etc...but then they throw another answer in, that sounds ok... like checking the residual, which will also show tube placement doesn't it? Anyway I am going with the gut feeling... crushing medication, dissolving with water and checking tube placement before administering...

See what I mean about reading too much into the questions. I knew you had to check the tube placement; but then I second-guessed myself. How good are u with chesttubes? I am pretty confident I have these ones mastered but if you don't mind....conferring can be a good thing. Thanks so much Cindie

thank you so much Daytonite. Yes I am a Nursing Student and this is only a take home test. We were allowed help, work togehter, whatever we needed. I also have another question. We have not done much work with NG tubes. I know what they are used for. The one in my question asks: if you are caring for a pt. with ng tube to continuous low suction.. client has vomited 100 ml of yellow-greenish fluid. most important for nurse to initially: Okay, so are they referring to vomit in ng tube.... that is ok... then document... is it possible for the pt. to vomit around the ng tube... if so that is a problem... check placement....I hate how they word questions... I either read too much into them or not enough... There's no happy medium.... I'm really not stupid, just a wordy person. Appreciate any feedback

I have an elderly client with medical dx of dehydration. In developing the Nurs. Dx. it is most important for me to: establish nursing dx that are based on medical diagnosis. focus on nursing diagnosis that affect fluid balance. gather data to support actual nursing diagnosis include actual and risk for diagnosis help.... i hate wordy problems..