A post-lung surgery client is placed on a chest tube drainage system. When explaining to the family how the system works, the nurse states that the water-seal bottle of a three-bottle chest drainage system serves which of the following purposes?
- Collection bottle for drainage
- Pressure regulator
- Preventing accumulation of blood around the heart
- Preventing air from entering the chest upon inspiration
Answer(s): D
Explanation:
(A) There is a separate collection bottle for drainage as part of a chest drainage system. (B) In a three-bottle chest drainage system, one bottle serves only as a pressure regulator. (C) Mediastinal chest tubes prevent accumulation of blood around the heart immediately following heart surgery. (D) The purpose of the water-seal bottle in any chest drainage setup is to allow air out of the chest, but not back in. This negative pressure promotes lung expansion.
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