What are the nursing care priorities following a thoracotomy?

Following a thoracotomy, effective nursing care prioritizes management of the chest tube and monitoring for potential complications. This is critical because a thoracotomy involves significant surgical intervention on the thoracic cavity, often leading to fluid accumulation in the pleural space or air leaks. The chest tube serves to facilitate drainage, which is essential for lung re-expansion and proper breathing post-surgery.

Monitoring the chest tube includes checking for proper functioning, patency, and any abnormal findings such as excessive drainage or signs of infection. Being vigilant about these aspects helps prevent complications such as pneumothorax or pleural effusion, which can impede recovery and may require immediate medical intervention.

Maintaining hydration and nutrition, elevating the upper body, and encouraging the use of incentive spirometry are indeed important components of the recovery process. However, these actions are typically secondary to the immediate requirement of ensuring chest tube efficacy and watching for complications. Managing discomfort through movement limitation can also be helpful but does not take precedence over the critical management of airway and breathing concerns associated with chest tube function. Thus, ensuring the chest tube is managed effectively and complications are monitored is paramount in the post-thoracotomy phase.