Emergency and Disaster Nursing NCLEX Questions Nursing Practice Question
The client has been brought to the ED by ambulance following a motor-vehicle accident with a flail chest, an intravenous line, and a Heimlich valve. Which intervention should the nurse implement first?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A flail chest with a Heimlich valve indicates a pneumothorax; preparing for chest tube insertion stabilizes breathing, the priority. Additional IVs, x-rays, and cardiac monitoring follow.