Free BCEN Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN) Practice Question

Based on the symptoms of significant chest pain, trouble breathing, and decreased breath sounds on one side, the most likely diagnosis is a pneumothorax. This condition occurs when air collects in the pleural space, causing the lung to collapse partially or completely, leading to decreased breath sounds. The mechanism of injury in a motor vehicle accident frequently involves blunt trauma to the chest, which can result in a pneumothorax.