A client's chest tube water-seal chamber has stopped tidaling. The client is breathing comfortably with equal breath sounds bilaterally, and the tubing is free of kinks and clots. How should the nurse interpret this?

A. The lung has likely re-expanded
B. The suction is too high
C. The tube is definitely misplaced
D. The client has a new air leak

Show answer and rationale

Correct answer: A

Tidaling stops when the lung re-expands or when the tubing is kinked or occluded. With a re-expanded lung on x-ray, this is expected. Otherwise, the nurse checks for kinks or clots.

Source: Lewis's Medical-Surgical Nursing, 13th ed. (chest drainage)

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A client's chest tube water-seal chamber has stopped tidaling. The client is breathing comfortably with equal breath sounds bilaterally, and the tubing is free of kinks and clots. How should the nurse interpret this?

Keep practicing Physiological Adaptation

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