What should the nursing priority be for a patient before thoracentesis?

The nursing priority for a patient before thoracentesis is to continuously monitor vital signs. This practice is vital because it allows the healthcare team to establish a baseline and immediately detect any changes or complications that may arise during the procedure. Monitoring vital signs can reveal signs of respiratory distress, changes in blood pressure, or other vital changes that could indicate potential complications such as pneumothorax or bleeding.

While positioning the patient lying flat is generally not advisable during thoracentesis (as patients are often positioned upright with their arms resting comfortably to facilitate access to the pleural space), ensuring that the patient is in a comfortable and safe position can still be addressed after vital signs have been stabilized and monitored.

Administering pain medication may be necessary for patient comfort, but it does not take precedence over ensuring hemodynamic stability and monitoring vital signs. Understanding the potential for pain is important, but it is secondary to assessing the patient's physiological status before and during the procedure.

Ensuring the patient fasts for 12 hours is not typically required for thoracentesis, especially when the procedure is performed to relieve respiratory distress caused by pleural effusion, making this option irrelevant in this context.

Prioritizing continuous monitoring of vital signs ensures the patient's safety and