Which client should the nurse assess and potentially intervene based on respiratory rate?

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Prepare for the Engage Fundamentals RN Vital Signs Test. Master vital sign measurement with detailed flashcards and multiple choice questions, each paired with hints and explanations. Elevate your nursing proficiency!

Multiple Choice

Which client should the nurse assess and potentially intervene based on respiratory rate?

Explanation:
Rapid, shallow breathing in a child is a sign to assess for possible respiratory distress. Normal respiratory rates vary by age, so what’s acceptable for one age group can be worrisome in another. For adults, about 12–20 breaths per minute is typical. Toddlers normally breathe around 24–40 breaths per minute. Newborns commonly run about 30–60 breaths per minute. Adolescents’ rates are closer to adults, roughly 12–20. In these scenarios, the toddler with 44 breaths per minute is above the upper limit for that age, indicating tachypnea. This warrants closer assessment for potential causes such as infection, airway inflammation, dehydration, fever, or obstruction, and may lead to interventions like further monitoring, assessing oxygen saturation, and addressing comfort or need for treatment. The newborn’s 56 is within the expected newborn range, and the adult and adolescent rates fall within their respective normal ranges, so they do not signal immediate respiratory intervention based solely on rate.

Rapid, shallow breathing in a child is a sign to assess for possible respiratory distress. Normal respiratory rates vary by age, so what’s acceptable for one age group can be worrisome in another.

For adults, about 12–20 breaths per minute is typical. Toddlers normally breathe around 24–40 breaths per minute. Newborns commonly run about 30–60 breaths per minute. Adolescents’ rates are closer to adults, roughly 12–20.

In these scenarios, the toddler with 44 breaths per minute is above the upper limit for that age, indicating tachypnea. This warrants closer assessment for potential causes such as infection, airway inflammation, dehydration, fever, or obstruction, and may lead to interventions like further monitoring, assessing oxygen saturation, and addressing comfort or need for treatment.

The newborn’s 56 is within the expected newborn range, and the adult and adolescent rates fall within their respective normal ranges, so they do not signal immediate respiratory intervention based solely on rate.

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