A nurse receives a patient from the operating room after placement of chest tubes. The tubes were placed because of a right lower lobectomy due to a chest injury. The nurse notices a dark, red fluid flowing into the collection chamber amounting to 75 ml when the patient tried to change positions. The nurse should:

Explanation

•It is normal that fluid may drain into chest tubes when the patient is trying to change positions. Dark blood is normal and indicates that there is no active bleeding inside the pleural space.

•Since this event is normal when the patient is trying to change position, the nurse just needs to document the characteristics and amount of drainage.

•Other choices are unnecessary because draining of dark fluid is normal when the patient is moving or changing positions.