A patient is diagnosed with pleurisy. What should the nurse ...

[charchew]

A patient is diagnosed with pleurisy. What should the nurse suggest to the patient to alleviate the associated chest pain from this disorder?
 
  1. instructing the patient to take the prescribed analgesic only when the pain is severe
  2. teaching the patient how to splint the affected area when coughing
  3. advising the patient to maintain bed rest
  4. warning the patient to expect a fever to develop

Question 2

The nurse observes air bubbles in a patient's chest tube water seal chamber. How should the nurse interpret this finding?
 
  1. normal
  2. an emergency
  3. an indication that the pneumothorax is worsening
  4. an indication to remove the chest tube

[xoxo123]

Answer to Question 1

Correct Answer: 2
Nursing care for the patient with pleuritis is directed toward promoting comfort, including administration of NSAIDs and analgesics. Positioning and splinting the chest while coughing also are helpful. Teach the patient and family that pleuritis is generally self-limited and of short duration. Discuss symptoms to report to the physician: increased fever, productive cough, difficulty breathing, or shortness of breath.

Answer to Question 2

Correct Answer: 1
Periodic air bubbles in the water-seal chamber are normal and indicate that trapped air is being removed from the chest. This is not an emergency situation, or one that indicates a worsening condition. The nurse would need a physician's order to remove a chest tube. The patient still needs the chest tube in place.