Respiratory Frequency - Basic nursing processes in the hospital area

arisita (58)in #steemit-health • 5 years ago (edited)

The respiratory rate is considered in the medical field as the number of times in which a person usually breathes in a minute's time. Like the heart rate and the pulse, it should be examined in the period of one minute and see that their results are in the normal values according to the age of each patient.

How can the respiratory rate be assessed?

Assessing the respiratory rate is a very easy process and is usually applied in first aid, who value this vital sign is usually the paramedical, medical and nursing staff. In this assessment it is required that the patient is at rest, and consists simply in counting the number of breaths during one minute counting the way in which the chest is elevated.

^{Normal breast}

^{High chest}

It is recommended that an analog clock be used to know exactly what time it was started and in which it should end, in addition there are already experienced doctors or nurses and because of the lack of time they usually cut the assessment at 30 seconds and multiply the result x 2 this being the value of the respiratory rate.

Why should the respiratory rate at rest be taken?
All vital signs change their value when doing some activity such as sports, when the organism presents a problem such as pathologies. In the case of a fever, the respiratory rate usually increases its normal value, just like when a sport is performed.

Normal value of respiratory rate in adult
From 16 breaths per minute to 20 breaths per minute

In medicine is usually abbreviated breaths per minute as RPM, resp / min or as x`, since it is often written too much in the clinical / medical records and this helps to decrease the task, it is also part of the medical / nurse glossary.

The respiratory rate can be altered by different mechanisms, among its alterations we have the most common:

######Tachypnea:
It is the increase in respiratory rate, where the value will increase from 20 rpm to 24 rpm.

Bradipnea:

In this case the opposite happens, the respiratory rate decreases to less than 10 rpm.

Apnea:

They usually occur during sleep and are also called sleep apnea, breathing is often stopped by deep sleep.

Dyspnea:

Usually the difficulty during breathing.

`Normal value of respiratory rate according to age`


Normal value of respiratory rate in infants (newborns)	From 40 breaths per minute to 45 breaths per minute
Normal value of respiratory rate in infants	From 20 breaths per minute to 30 breaths per minute
Normal value of respiratory rate in older infants	From 20 breaths per minute to 30 breaths per minute
Normal value of respiratory rate in school children	From 12 breaths per minute to 20 breaths per minute
Normal value of respiratory rate in adolescents	12 breaths per minute at 20 breaths per minute

It is important to take into account at the time of the assessment in the patient, ask him if he has any difficulty breathing, as this will help in the assessment of the patient and their data.

In addition to physical activity and changes in the organism such as diseases / pathologies, breathing can also be altered by hemorrhaging, fever, age, and sexual activity
At the time of assessment, the patient is not usually told that the value of breathing will be taken, since he unconsciously begins to change his breathing, which is why he pretends to take the pulse when in fact he is taking the respiratory rate.
The breathing in its normal values is called as eupnea.

All you have just read here has been my little experience in the area of laboratory and emergencies in the central hospital of Venezuela - Lara, the subject is called Basic Nursing.

The images that you just saw are from my authority.
The separator that you just saw, is from my authority.

I like to teach about the things I know, and thus give a little bit of me for you, thank you very much for reading, any comments and doubts you have will be well received.

Nursing student - @arisita