chest tube question

[Karen Kilian]

If there is a heimlich valve in place (between the chest tube and the water-seal device) it shouldn't be a problem.....if no valve in place, clamp for the time it takes to get it reconnected.  (which should be short)

Karen Kilian, 
Ex-ALNW Flight Nurse
Seattle
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: pedsrusscott at cs.com<mailto:pedsrusscott at cs.com> 
  To: flightmed at flightweb.com<mailto:flightmed at flightweb.com> ; Em-Nsg-L at LISTSRV.UCSF.EDU<mailto:Em-Nsg-L at LISTSRV.UCSF.EDU> 
  Sent: Sunday, January 18, 2009 11:57 AM
  Subject: chest tube question


  Greetings - One more quick question - outside of the ER/ICU with lots of resources immediately available, what would you do in the hallway or ambulance with a patient who has a chest tube & the tubing becomes disconnected - still in the chest, but the connection tubing is disconnected? - the books say to put the tubing "under water or a bottle of saline" to simulate a water seal, but I've honestly never seen that done -? options suggested have been to do the do the water seal trick or just to "wipe it off with an alcohol pad & put it back together until a new chest drain can be set up" - any input welcomed & appreciated!
  ?

  thanx!

  Scott DeBoer RN,MSN

  UCAN Flight RN

  Peds-R-Us Medical Education

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