An Hour After a Thoracotomy, a Patient Complains of Incisional

question 17

Multiple Choice

An hour after a thoracotomy, a patient complains of incisional pain at a level 7 out of 10 and has decreased left-sided breath sounds. The pleural drainage system has 100 mL of bloody drainage and a large air leak. Which action is best for the nurse to take next?

• A) Administer the prescribed PRN morphine.
• B) Assist the patient to deep breathe and cough.
• C) Milk the chest tube gently to remove any clots.
• D) Tape the area around the insertion site of the chest tube.

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Definitions:

UCS

An acronym standing for Unconditioned Stimulus, a stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response without needing to be learned.

CS

In IT, stands for Computer Science, which is the study of computers and computational systems including their theory, design, development, and application.

Stimulus Discrimination

The ability to distinguish between different stimuli or signals in the environment, often relevant in learning and conditioning.

Operant Conditioning

A method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior, aiming to influence the occurrence of behavior through these consequences.