Pneumothorax in the Adult Patient

Contact Hour(s): 

1 Contact Hour

Author: 

Lisa Garcia, RN, BSN, CEN

This peer-reviewed course is applicable for the following professions: 

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), Certified Nurse Midwife, Certified Nurse Practitioner, Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN), Midwife (MW), Nursing Student, Registered Nurse (RN), Registered Nurse Practitioner, Respiratory Care Practitioner, Respiratory Therapist (RT)

Accreditations: 

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)

State Approvals: 

Alabama, Provider #ABNP1485; California BRN Provider #CEP # 13509; Kentucky Board of Nursing Provider #7-0085; Florida Board of Nursing Provider 50-353

Course Description: 

This course discusses how to assess, manage, and provide care for adult patients with pneumothorax.

Outcomes: 

≥ 92% of participants will know how to assess, manage, and provide care for pneumothorax in adult patients.

Objectives: 

Upon completion of this course, the participant will be able to:

1. Explain the structures and functions involved in respiration, including the lungs, diaphragm, bronchioles, and alveoli.
2. Differentiate between spontaneous, traumatic, and tension pneumothorax and understand each type's specific causes and risk factors.
3. Identify the key signs and symptoms of pneumothorax, including sudden chest pain, shortness of breath, decreased breath sounds, and cyanosis.
4. Describe the use of diagnostic tools such as X-rays, computerized tomography scans (CT scans), and ultrasound to confirm the presence of pneumothoraces.
5. Outline the potential complications and risks of pneumothorax, including respiratory distress, infection, and recurrence.
6. Evaluate different treatment options for a pneumothorax, including observation, needle aspiration, chest tube insertion, and surgical interventions like video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) or thoracotomy.
7. Implement nursing interventions, including chest tube and pain management, and education on self-care and prevention of complications.
8. Recognize the importance of effective communication and teamwork with physicians, respiratory therapists, radiologists, and other healthcare professionals.
9. Analyze the latest research, including emerging treatment modalities, innovative surgical techniques, and evidence-based practice for improved patient outcomes.

Disclosures: 

CEUFast Inc. and the course planning team for this educational activity do not have any relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.