The nurse establishes the presence of a tension pneumothorax when assessment findings reveal which of the following results?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A tension pneumothorax occurs when air enters the pleural space and cannot escape, causing increasing pressure on the affected lung and mediastinal structures. This can lead to decreased breath sounds on the affected side due to compression of lung tissue, but lung sounds may still be heard. Inability to auscultate tracheal breath sounds would suggest obstruction of the airway, which is not a characteristic finding of tension pneumothorax. A sucking sound with each breath would suggest an open chest wound, which is a potential cause of tension pneumothorax but not a definitive finding. A shift of the point of maximal impulse to the left, with bounding pulses, is a classic finding in cardiac tamponade, not tension pneumothorax.

The Nurse Establishes the Presence of a Tension Pneumothorax When