Appendix E
Procedural Checklists - Removal of Chest Drain
| Task |  |
 |
N/A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduce yourself to the patient. Ensure that you have the correct patient by checking name, date of birth and CHI against arm band and notes | |||
| Explain the procedure to the patient and obtain informed consent | |||
| Get patient to practise Valsalva | |||
| Gather equipment | |||
| Ensure patient is lying comfortably with the arm on the side of the drain behind the head | |||
| Administration of oral or intravenous analgesia | |||
| Wash hands and put on sterile gloves and apron | |||
| Remove dressing and identify 'stay' and 'close' sutures | |||
| Isolate 'close' suture to tie once drain removed | |||
| Clean wound with antiseptic skin preparation such as chlorhexidine | |||
| Cut the stay suture | |||
| Ask the patient to perform Valsalva, firmly pull chest drain out and get assistant to apply pressure to wound | |||
| Clean wound with antiseptic skin preparation such as chlorhexidine | |||
| Tie other suture to close wound, not too tightly, apply a few steristrips if necessary | |||
| Apply occlusive dressing | |||
| Perform repeat chest x-ray to make sure that original pathology has not recurred | |||
| Record procedure, including any complications in the patient's notes | |||
| Regularly check patient's observations and drain site in the hours after removal |
Adapted from L. Malek - SCOTS Project, Procedural Checklists
