A nurse reevaluates a 4-year-old with suspected tension pneumothorax. What indicates that interventions were effective?

The indication that interventions for a suspected tension pneumothorax were effective can be seen through bilateral chest wall rise with assisted ventilations. When tension pneumothorax occurs, air becomes trapped in the pleural space, leading to impaired ventilation on the affected side, which often results in unilateral movement of the chest wall and respiratory distress.

When effective interventions, such as needle decompression or chest tube placement, are performed, it allows trapped air to escape, restoring normal lung mechanics. This restoration allows both sides of the chest to expand equally during ventilation, indicating that air can flow freely and the lungs are functioning properly again. The bilateral rise during assisted ventilation signifies that both lungs are now participating in the respiratory process, which is a positive sign that the emergency intervention has alleviated the pressure imbalance.

In contrast, if there was decreased respiratory rate, this could suggest inadequate ventilation or respiratory fatigue, which would not necessarily reflect effective treatment. Unilateral chest wall movement would indicate that the problem persists, and an increased heart rate could be a compensatory response to hypoxia or underlying stress, rather than a sign of successful intervention. Thus, the observation of bilateral chest wall rise provides clear evidence of effective treatment outcomes in this scenario.