Chest Drains Online Skills Pack

Table of Contents

1. Chest Drain Programme
2. Essential Pre-requisite Knowledge
3. Large bore chest drain insertion
4. Small-bore chest drain insertion
5. Pre-hospital chest drain insertion
6. Chest drain management
   1. Ongoing care and management of Patients with Chest Drains
   2. Procedural Guidelines - Chest Drain Management
   3. Trouble Shooting and Pitfalls
7. Chest drain Removal
8. Risk Factors of Chest Drain Management
9. Theoretical Assessment - Chest Drains
10. Housekeeping
11. Appendices

Procedural Guidelines - Chest Drain Management

In the initial hours after a chest drain has been inserted checks should be performed and documented every 30 minutes. When checking a chest drain it is important to always complete the following, which should be recorded on a standard chest drain proforma. A Procedural Checklist can be found at Appendix D. This will be of use to you during the simulated practice session

Click here for Appendix D

• Wash hands, wear apron and non-sterile gloves
• Check Patient
  • Observations (ideally record on early warning observation chart to highlight changes in physiology and potential deterioration early)
    • Temperature
    • Pulse
    • Blood Pressure
    • Respiratory rate
    • Oxygen Saturations
  • Check patient positioning for comfort and any analgesia requirements
• Check drain
  • Record volume and amount of any drainage. Record whether drain bubbling or swinging
  • Check all connections to make sure they are intact
  • Check underwater seal system and make sure either 3cm of water or to the marked level as per manufacturers recommendations
  • Check wound to ensure drain still secure and no signs of infection
  • Check underwater seal system is below level of chest
  • Check tubing to ensure it is not looped or kinked