What should the nurse plan to do if the chest drainage system is accidentally disconnected?

Place the end of the chest tube in a container of sterile saline.-rationale: if a chest drainage system is disconnected, the nurse may place the end of the chest tube in a container of sterile saline or water to prevent air from entering the chest tube, thereby preventing negative respiratory pressure. the nurse should apply an occlusive dressing if the chest tube is pulled out not if the system is disconnected. the nurse shouldnt clamp the chest tube because clamping increases the risk of tension pneumothorax. the nurse should tape the chest tube securely to prevent it from being disconnected, rather than taping it after it has been disconnected.client needs category: physiological integrityclient needs subcategory: reduction of risk potentialcognitive level: applicationreference: smeltzer, s.c., et al. brunner & suddarths textbook of medical-surgical nursing, 11th ed. philadelphia: lippincott williams & wilkins, 2008, p. 761.