Joe came into the Emergency Department after falling from a ladder while trimming trees
Joe came into the Emergency Department after falling from a ladder while trimming trees. He states that he “landed on his right side when he fell”. He is complaining of Shortness of Breath and right-sided chest pain. Upon assessment, the nurse finds HR 115, RR 28, T 99.2, BP 88/52, O2 86% rates his pain at an 8 on a 0-10 scale. The nurse notes absent breath sounds on the right side when completing the lung assessment. The physician is notified and Joe is sent to Radiology for a Chest X-ray. The Chest X-ray results show that Joe has a hemothorax.
The physician places the order to “Place chest tube to water seal”, he also notifies you to keep him updated regarding Joe’s tolerance of this. (1 pt)
- How will you explain this order to Joe?
- What will you do to enact this order?
- What will you specifically assess to learn about Joe’s tolerance of this intervention?
- State two findings that would require you to call the physician?
