ma's and nurses....?

Question

when ur taking vital signs; do you really count respirations or do u always put 20 or just make it up?

Answer 1

I always count respiration's. It would be falsifying documents to just put down a number I could loose my license for doing that. Medical people have to be ethical in their practice. We work alone and unsupervised so it is up to us to make sure that we do the right thing and record the correct numbers. I can count respiration's by just watching the chest rise and fall so it may look like I am not doing anything but I am counting