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Monitoring respiratory rate in adults

09 January 2020

Clinical

02 January 2020

Volume 29 · Issue 1

ISSN (print): 0966-0461

ISSN (online): 2052-2819

This article explores the monitoring of respiratory rates in adult patients. This is a significant physical assessment skill because breathing is usually the first vital sign to alter in the deteriorating patient (Hunter and Rawlings-Anderson, 2008). Ascertaining a baseline respiration function will permit an accurate respiration assessment to be carried out, tailored to the individual patient (Simpson, 2006).

The observation and recording of respiratory rate is the numerical calculation of breaths per minute (bpm) and informs the overall physical assessment of respiration. Assessment and recording of respiratory rate must be accurate and is an essential nursing skill. The respiratory rate is one of the six vital signs (Box 1). Evidence suggests that, of all the vital signs, change in respiratory rate is an early sign of deterioration in a patient and failing to recognise such a change can result in poor outcomes (Cretikos et al, 2008).

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