Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics and nursing care of patients with prolonged open thoracostomy, and to evaluate the effectiveness of a short training program for nurses.

Methods: This study is an exploratory two-case series involving patients with open thoracostomy treated at the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Hue Central Hospital (March–August 2025). In addition, 20 nurses participated in a 90-minute training session on open thoracostomy care; their knowledge and skills were assessed before and after using a multiple-choice test and a structured skills checklist.

Results: In two representative cases, chest drainage volume decreased by more than 70%, pain scores were reduced by 50%, dyspnea improved by 1–2 grades on the mMRC scale, and wound infection was effectively controlled. Among nurses, mean knowledge scores improved markedly from 6.1±1.1 to 8.9±0.7 (p<0.001). All practical skill domains demonstrated significant post-training improvement, including preparation and safety, initial assessment, wound care with ventilation maintenance, respiratory monitoring, and supportive care (all p<0.001). Documentation and reporting showed a mild increase (0.6±0.5 to 0.9±0.3) but did not reach statistical significance, consistent with the fact that this task was already performed routinely at baseline.

Conclusion: Nurses play a crucial role in the care of patients with open thoracostomy. As an exploratory two-case series, these findings should be considered preliminary, offering early evidence that supports the initial development of a standardized nursing care protocol for open thoracostomy.

Open thoracostomy, Nursing care, Infection control, Nurse education