The patient appears to be breathing faster than before.Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The first action the nurse should take is to count the rate of respirations to determine the severity of the patient's breathing difficulty. This will help the nurse to determine the appropriate intervention and alert the healthcare team if necessary. Asking about visitors or having the patient lie down may not address the underlying problem of increased respiratory rate, and taking the radial pulse may not provide adequate information about the patient's respiratory status.

The Patient Appears to Be Breathing Faster Than Before