TCRN Practice Exam 2026 – Complete Prep for Your Test

Question: 1 / 400

In a flail chest injury, how does the area around the injury typically move during respiration?

It moves in sync with the chest wall

It sinks during inhalation and bulges during exhalation

In a flail chest injury, the hallmark characteristic is that the segment of the chest wall that has become detached moves paradoxically. During inhalation, instead of expanding outward like the rest of the chest wall, the injured area sinks inward due to negative pressure created by the diaphragm and chest wall during inspiration. Conversely, during exhalation, the damaged section bulges outward as positive pressure within the thoracic cavity pushes against the displaced segment. This abnormal movement is often described as a "paradoxical" motion and is critical for recognizing flail chest injuries, as it can lead to inadequate ventilation and further respiratory complications. Understanding this movement pattern is essential for appropriate assessment and intervention in trauma nursing.

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It remains completely still

It bulges during inhalation and sinks during exhalation

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