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Consensus Guideline

Pleural Drains in Adults

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Patient preparation

  • Administer analgesia and wait for it to be effective.
  • Explain procedure to patient and advise that they may experience a brief sensation of burning or pain as the drain is removed.
  • Explain how you want the patient to breath during the procedure and get the patient to demonstrate. Note that formal techniques may be difficult to teach and beyond the capability of many patients including those with cognitive or language barriers.
  • Place plastic backed sheet under the patient.
  • Position the patient in a semi fowlers to upright position to allow for ease of access to the pleural drain insertion site while maintaining patient privacy and comfort.
  • Support tubing throughout to prevent tension on the insertion site.