Policy Manual sample

MDT Home Health Care Agency, Inc. This valve is most commonly used to help remove air from a pneumothorax. The end of the drainage tube is placed inside the chest cavity, within the air or fluid to be drained. The flutter valve is placed in the appropriate orientation and the pneumothorax can be evacuated from the patient's chest. However, there are several potential problems with these valves: Clogging of the tube The chest tube can easily clog, and this may result in a recurrence of the pneumothorax or subcutaneous emphysema, or lead to empyema (accumulation of pus). Fluid Leakage Is fairly common with the use of flutter drains. An alternative solution is to attach a sputum trap to the valve, thus providing a reservoir to capture the draining fluid, or use a chest drainage unit. Conclusion It is important to know the signs and symptoms of a patient that is experiencing respiratory distress. Patients who are diagnosed with a pneumothorax, tension pneumothorax, hemothorax or any other condition that involves inadequate inflation of the lung may require a chest tube. When managing the care of patients who have chest tubes it is important to fully understand what to do in case problems arise. It is also important to be able to assess when the chest tube is ready to be discontinued. Nurses and other healthcare professionals who are responsible for the safe delivery of care should be knowledgeable about respiratory pathophysiology, signs of respiratory compromise, and the care and management of interventions that may be utilized to ensure adequate respiration. Home Health Agency Nursing Care & Procedures K-218