A patient experiences a flail chest as a result of an automobile accident.During the respiratory assessment,what would the nurse expect to find?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Flail chest occurs when multiple ribs are fractured in more than one place, causing a segment of the chest wall to become unstable and move paradoxically during respiration. This means that during inspiration, the affected area moves inward instead of outward, and during expiration, it moves outward instead of inward. Therefore, the nurse would expect to find paradoxical chest movement during the respiratory assessment. Options A, B, and C are not specifically associated with flail chest.

A Patient Experiences a Flail Chest as a Result of an Automobile