A patient's condition has deteriorated.Changes in condition include trachea shift, absence of breath sounds on the left side, and hypotension.The nurse suspects that the patient has developed a(n)
A) cardiac tamponade.
B) hemothorax.
C) open pneumothorax.
D) ruptured diaphragm.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Assessment findings for patients with a hemothorax include hypovolemic shock.Breath sounds may be diminished or absent over the affected lung.With hemothorax, the neck veins are collapsed, and the trachea is at midline.Massive hemothorax can be diagnosed on the basis of clinical manifestations of hypotension associated with the absence of breath sounds or dullness to percussion on one side of the chest.

A Patient's Condition Has Deteriorated