A client arrives to the emergency department (ED) following a motor vehicle collision. The nurse observes the client experiencing increasing dyspnea and notes absent breath sounds on the left side. Which procedure should the nurse prepare the client for?

Choice A reason: Bronchoscopy is used to visualize the airways and remove obstructions, but it is not the immediate intervention for absent breath sounds due to trauma. Choice B reason: Chest tube insertion is the correct intervention. Absent breath sounds and dyspnea after trauma strongly suggest a pneumothorax or hemothorax. A chest tube restores lung expansion and relieves respiratory distress. Choice C reason: Endotracheal intubation provides airway support but does not resolve the underlying problem of collapsed lung. Intubation may be needed if respiratory failure occurs, but chest tube insertion is the priority. Choice D reason: Pulmonary function tests are diagnostic tools for chronic conditions, not acute trauma. They are inappropriate in this emergency situation.