What is a primary nursing action when caring for a patient with a chest tube?

Monitoring for drainage and assessing breath sounds is essential when caring for a patient with a chest tube because it allows the nurse to evaluate the effectiveness of the chest tube in removing air or fluid from the pleural space. Adequate drainage is crucial for lung re-expansion and preventing complications such as pneumothorax or pleural effusion.

Assessing breath sounds is equally important, as it helps to detect any changes in respiratory status, such as reduced airflow that may indicate a problem with the chest tube, such as obstruction or an air leak. By regularly monitoring these aspects, the nurse can ensure that the patient is stable and that the chest tube is functioning correctly.

Change of dressing and encouraging cough, while important, are not prioritized over the continuous assessment of respiratory function and drainage. Administering pain medication improves patient comfort and may facilitate better respiratory effort, but it is secondary to monitoring the effectiveness of the chest tube.