A nurse is obtaining vital signs for a group of clients. Which finding requires intervention?

• A. 11-year-old child who has a respiratory rate of 34/min.
• B. 17-year-old who has a respiratory rate of 16/min.
• C. A young adult who has a pulse rate of 98/min.
• D. An older adult who has a pulse rate of 62/min.

Answer: (A)

Abnormal respiratory rate in a child requires prompt assessment and intervention. For an 11-year-old, the normal range is roughly 18–30 breaths per minute; a rate of 34 indicates tachypnea and potential respiratory distress. This can signal issues such as fever with infection, asthma, pneumonia, dehydration, or other breathing problems, so the nurse should quickly assess the work of breathing, check oxygen saturation, listen to lung sounds, and monitor for signs of distress. Depending on findings, actions may include positioning to ease breathing, providing supplemental oxygen if indicated, and notifying the clinician for further evaluation.

The other scenarios fall within expected ranges for their ages: a 17-year-old with a respiratory rate around 16 is normal for an adolescent, a pulse of 98 in a young adult is normal, and a pulse of 62 in an older adult is also normal.