Argument Presentation, Article Review Example

“Despite their importance, respiration rates are documented less often than other vital signs”

Perhaps  considered too tedious for a regular nursing task, the respiratory rate is often neglected by healthcare practitioners as they receive patients in emergency rooms. Relatively, weight, height and other vitals are easier to take and does not necessarily need more time than actually taking sixty minutes just to count the breathing pattern of the patient. Nevertheless, taking such duty into serious concern is just as important as the need to take other vital signs especially during emergency health occurrences. In fact, Rachael Parks (2011) supports this particular fact especially in terms of pointing out in her study how relatively affective is a respiration record is for nurses to immediately identify an important diagnosis on a patient.

Regarding this matter, Parks (2011) mentions that respiratory rate record tells so much on what is going on within the internal system of the patient (12). To note, a section of her study’s conclusion indicates that “respiratory rate is a highly sensitive marker of patients’ conditions and of early signs of deterioration” (17). Considerably, this line indicates that with the onset of respiration rate imbalance, a sense of dysfunction could be imposed and diagnosed as needed.

In support to this ideal presentation on how the recording of respiratory rate could provide immediate diagnosis of particular ailments on patients rushed to the ER, the study of Massay and Meredith (2010) provides a clear indication on why some nurses neglect the need of taking respiratory rate recording duties. Relatively, in their study, they impose that the primary reason behind this lack of attention is the lack of skills among the nurses involved in the process. Healthcare practitioners are somewhat focused on getting vitals but are often less skillful nor patient when it comes to taking respiratory rate (537). Notably, both Massay and Moredith [through the help of other research-studies] indicate that respiratory rate taking is not as easy as 1-2-3. Relatively, a nurse taking note of the said record is expected to know between the different types of respiratory ratio and the indications on health function irregularities that they might suggest (238). Measuring the rate between the depth and the rhythm of the heartbeat and the breathing may seem a tedious job, but If done properly, could provide practical implications on how a healthcare provider could identify a specific source of healthcare issue that is developing in a particular patient.

In relation to vital sign recording accuracy, the study of Cretikos and her colleagues (2008) provide a good form of definition on how a supposed focus on increasing the skills of the nurses to record respiratory rate as a primary protocol for ER patients would increase competence on the part of the ways by which the healthcare providers handle their jobs towards their patients. In this study, Cretikos (et al, 2008) creates a definite distinction between other vital signs apart from that of the importance of a respiratory rate and why as well as to how it should be taken in a daily basis. The regularity of the patient’s pattern of breathing apparently opens a door towards understanding how the physical system of the patient operates during the time especially when the individual is observed to be responding to some specific medications used to treat an existing and diagnosed ailment.

From the point of entering the emergency room towards specifically being admitted and being attended to by nurses in a daily manner, patients are suggested to undergo respiratory rate count and recording so as to make sure that their respiratory system responds well to the treatment thus avoiding any particular cardiac complications later on. With the proper training of nurses on how to measure respiratory rate according to depth and rhythm of the breathing pattern of the patient, it is assumed that they would have a better sense of what is going on in their patients’ body system. This way, possible further emergencies or particular changes in the body could be closely monitored hence avoiding further complications towards the recovery of the individuals involved.

References:

Cretikos, M. (et al) (2008). Respiratory rate: the neglected vital sign. MJA . Volume 188 Number 11. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2008/188/11/respiratory-rate-neglected-vital-sign. (retrieved on August 12, 2012).

Massey, D. and Meredith, T. (2010). Respiratory assessment 1: Why do it and how to do it? British Journal of Cardiac Nursing. Volume 5 Number 11.

Parkes, R. (2011). Rate of Respiration: The forgotten vital sign. Emergency Nurse Journal. Volume 19 Number 2.