ANAJE KRISTELLE D.

GARIANDO
BSN 3 – 2
RELECTIVE ESSAY: THORACENTESIS

In thoracentesis, the thoracic wall is perforated to acquire a sample of pleural

fluid for analysis or to relieve pulmonary compression and the resulting respiratory
discomfort, also known as pleural fluid aspiration. The danger of puncturing the lung,
liver, or spleen is reduced when the fluid is located before to thoracentesis.
Thoracentesis is used for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Pleural fluid
analysis is used in the diagnostic use of a thoracentesis to distinguish between exudate,
which can arise from inflammatory or malignant diseases, and transudate, which can
result from organ system failure that affects fluid balance in the body. This analysis aids
in the identification of the abnormality's etiology.

A nurse has a lot of responsibilities in caring for a patient undergoing thoracentesis.

Initial to the procedure, the nurse must obtain the doctor's order, review the medical
record, and identify the patient. The most important part is to ask for the patient’s
consent that will give us permission the perform this certain procedure. Aside from that
we should ask the patient if he or she has any concerns or questions about the
procedure. Then, we will need to prepare for the equipment and supplies that will be
needed. We will need to do a physical assessment such as percussion before we
proceed the determine where the fluid accumulates. We can now prepare the supplies
and position The patient appropriately. Wipe the area.  Sterile technique should be used
including gloves. Anesthetize the skin over the insertion site. As nurses, we should
always assess the patient for his or her concerns and discomforts. Make sure to have a
proper angle of the syringe. Just get the right amount of fluid for analysis and transfer it
do the tubes. after that, attach the three-way stopcock and tubing, and aspirate the
amount needed. Turn the stopcock and evacuate the fluid through the tubing. Remove
the necessary amount of pleural fluid. After the procedure remove the needle and apply
slight pressure to the site. Cover the insertion site with a sterile dressing. we should
analyze the characteristics of the fluid that we drain ask this will tell us some underlying
causes or diseases. And, as I have written earlier this fluids what tell us whether it is an
exudate or transudate.
 Furthermore, the care for the patient does not end here. We as nurses,
still have a lot of responsibilities for the aftercare of the procedure. I have learned that
we should

always check and observe changes of our client. these abnormal changes may require
prompt treatment. After all the procedures, evaluation and documentation or recording
is a must to guarantee that the interventions were a success, and the patient will feel
better than before. Nurses must ensure that all patients acquire personalized, high-
quality services irrespective of their condition. In this video, you will see the critical roles
played by the nurses to ensure let the client or patient will be comfortable and less
anxious. Nurses provides constant, endless care to patients and offers a patient-
centered design that promotes the well-being, safety, and health of the hospital
environment and today, nurses are acknowledged as true health care heroes, often
tailoring their own comfort to the needs of the patients they serve day after day.