NBCSN Nationally Certified School Nurse Practice Exam

The immediate treatment for a tension pneumothorax is to perform needle decompression. This condition occurs when air gets trapped in the pleural space and creates pressure that collapses the lung and can lead to cardiovascular instability. The instinctive response to relieve this pressure is to insert a large-bore needle into the pleural space, usually in the second intercostal space at the midclavicular line, which allows the trapped air to escape and restores normal pressure.

While administering oxygen is often a supportive measure for many respiratory emergencies and calling for emergency medical services is critical for the comprehensive care and transport of a patient, these actions do not address the immediate life-threatening nature of a tension pneumothorax. Applying ice and elevating the individual is unrelated to the emergency management of this condition and does not facilitate any effective intervention for the pneumothorax itself. Therefore, performing needle decompression is the most critical and immediate intervention in this scenario to save the patient’s life.