Please inform the medical personnel immediately if there is any shortness of breath, chest discomfort, cold sweating or dizziness.
Keep movements slow and deliberate. Avoid pulling or manipulating the chest tube and be careful not to knock over the collecting bottle.
If the drainage bottle should knock over or the chest tube slips out, exhale at once and hold your breath. Use the clamp provided at the bedside and clamp the chest tube at the exposed end (or fold and bend the tube if the clamp could not be found) and inform the medical personnel immediately.
Maintain a comfortable semi-reclined position. Reposition your body at least once every two hour to promote drainage and to prevent pressure sores.
Breathe deep and cough deep. Move and walk as instructed to improve ventilation.
Avoid raising the drainage bottle above the waist.