What is the correct method for counting respirations during assessment?

• A. Tell the patient to breathe normally
• B. Count for 30 seconds aloud
• C. Count for 30 seconds without telling the patient
• D. Breathe with the patient

Answer: (C)

To get an accurate respiration rate, observe the chest or abdomen discreetly for 30 seconds without the person knowing you’re counting. This quiet approach helps the patient breathe naturally, avoiding changes in rate that can occur if you instruct them to breathe normally or cue them aloud. After counting for 30 seconds, multiply by two to estimate breaths per minute, and document that rate. Counting aloud or breathing with the patient would alter their pattern and skew the measurement, so they’re not appropriate methods.