Journal
AUSTRALASIAN EMERGENCY NURSING JOURNAL
Volume 20, Issue 1, Pages 45-47Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.aenj.2016.12.003
Keywords
Emergency nursing; Clinical deterioration; Patient safety; Respiratory rate; Emergency department; Vital signs; Patient assessment
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Funding
- Central Queensland University Postgraduate Research Award - WOMEN (UPRA-W)
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It is well documented that the respiratory rate is the least accurately recorded vital sign. Despite nurses consistently confirming that they understand the physiological importance of the respiratory rate, more often than not, they estimate a value rather than count for an entire minute. Until recently, little has been known about why this phenomenon perpetuates. However, it has now been established that many emergency department registered nurses believe they are enhancing patients' outcomes by performing tasks other than counting a patient's respiratory rate. This discussion highlights the significance of recording accurate respiratory rates, as opposed to estimating a rate; emphasizing that just four breaths either side of the normal range could be indicative of impending clinical deterioration. (C) 2016 College of Emergency Nursing Australasia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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