A patient was stabbed in the right anterior chest and is in obvious respiratory distress. As you perform the secondary assessment, which of the following signs and/or symptoms would concern you that she is suffering from a tension pneumothorax?

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The signs and symptoms of a tension pneumothorax include absent breath sounds on the affected side, distended neck veins due to increased pressure in the thorax, and tracheal deviation away from the affected side. The patient in this scenario was stabbed in the right anterior chest, so absent breath sounds on the right and tracheal deviation to the left would indicate a tension pneumothorax. Respiratory distress may also occur but is not specific to a tension pneumothorax.

A Patient Was Stabbed in the Right Anterior Chest and Is