NCLEX Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) Practice Exam

When the water seal of a chest tube breaks, it is crucial to quickly restore the water seal to ensure proper functioning and prevent a potential tension pneumothorax. The recommended steps involve clamping the chest tube to halt any air or fluid leakage, cutting the tube just distal to the break, and then immediately submerging the cut end of the tube in sterile water or saline to reestablish a water seal. After the tube is submerged and a proper seal is achieved, the tube can be unclamped to allow drainage to resume.

This procedure effectively allows for immediate intervention while minimizing complications associated with a broken water seal. It prevents air from entering the pleural space and maintains negative pressure, which is essential for proper lung expansion. Other available options do not provide timely or effective management in this critical situation, making the outlined steps the best approach.