The nurse is caring for a patient after undergoing a right thoracotomy. When caring for this patient with a chest tube, the nurse should:

Explanation

•Coughing and deep breathing should be encouraged to facilitate drainage and prevent pneumonia.

•The chest tube should not be clamped unless ordered by the physician.

•Chest tube milking should only be done to remove clots.

•Fluctuations in the water seal chamber is normal and should not be communicated to the physician.

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