For the patient in the preceding question with the crushing chest injury, which of the following clinical indicators would suggest the presence of a flail chest?

You are an RT assisgned to MICU, a patient in the unit has had a chest drainage system placed for a hemothorax suffered due to a MVA. It has been about 60 minutes since the physician place the CT and the nurse asks for your assistance to reposition the patient. When the patient is turned to the opposite side you notice that there is about 300 mL of blood that has drained into the collection chamber of the drainage system. You would suspect which of the following?

In setting up a commercial chest drainage system, the wall vacuum source pressure should be increased until:

The most common cause of a transudative pleural effusion in clinical practice is:

A patient is brought in from a local construction site by ambulance after falling off scaffolding onto concrete steps. At the scene the man was complaining of severe chest pain and stated “I can’t get my breath.” When he arrives at the emergency department he only responds to painful stimulation, is breathing shallowly 16 bpm and has a SpO2 reading of 82% on a 100% NRB mask. On visual examination you note profound paradoxical movement of his left anterior chest wall. The physician orders STAT ABGs. Which of the following results would you expect with this patient?

Penetrating chest trauma often results in a communicating pneumothorax between the pleural space and the atmosphere once the object is removed. The initial treatment of a communicating pneumothorax in the ED (or before) is:

In the previous question, which of the following conditions is best described?

A 19 year old man is brought to the ED after experiencing sharp chest pain while playing basketball. Upon observation of the young man, reveals a tall, thin man in severe distress. Despite being placed on a 10 L/min SM, the patient shows peripheral and central cyanosis. Percussion of the right side yields a dull percussion note and on the left it is noted to have a hyperresonant note. Additionally, a distinct shift in the trachea toward the right side is noted. Cardiac leads are attached and the ECG monitor shows sinus tachycardia with frequent multifocal PVCs. The B/P can only be palpated at 50 mmHg systolic, diaphoresis and cyanosis. Which of the following should the RT recommend?

What does the dicrotic notch represent on an PA catheter pressure waveform?

A patient has been scheduled for a outpatient cardioversion for atrial fibrillation and the physician has asked you to set the cardioverter to a proper initial shock strength. Which of the following would be recommended?