What action should the nurse take immediately after intubating a client with an endotracheal tube?

The immediate action a nurse should take after intubating a client with an endotracheal tube is to auscultate both lungs for the presence of breath sounds. This step is critical because it allows the nurse to quickly assess whether the tube has been correctly placed in the trachea, providing proper ventilation to the lungs.

Auscultation helps identify bilateral breath sounds, which would indicate correct placement, as opposed to only hearing sounds on one side, suggesting possible endobronchial intubation or other placement issues. This assessment is vital for confirming that the airway is secure and functional, ensuring that the client is receiving adequate oxygenation and ventilation.

Although checking tube placement by observing the client's chest rise is also an essential step, it should not be the only method used to confirm proper tube placement. Observing chest rise does provide some immediate information, but it does not give the comprehensive assessment that auscultation can provide. Similarly, while securing the tube and obtaining a chest x-ray are important subsequent steps, they are not the immediate priority right after intubation. The focus immediately after intubation should always be on assessing effective ventilation through physical examination techniques such as auscultation.