Final answer:
The normal heart rate for a toddler is 90 to 140 beats per minute; therefore, 100 beats per minute (Option C) is considered normal for a toddler's resting heart rate.
Step-by-step explanation:
After assessing the heart rate of a toddler, the normal finding a nurse would interpret can vary but typically, for toddlers aged 1-3 years, a normal resting heart rate is between 90 to 140 beats per minute. Therefore, option C) 100 beats per minute would be considered within the normal range for a toddler's heart rate.
It's important to note that infants and younger children have higher heart rates than older children and adults. The normal heart rate for a newborn can range from 120 to 160 beats per minute. As children grow, their heart rate decreases. For instance, school-aged children have a normal heart rate between 60 and 100 beats per minute, much like adults. Disorders such as tachycardia (resting rate above 100 bpm in adults) and bradycardia (resting rate below 60 bpm in adults) are characterized by abnormal heart rates but are defined according to adult standards and may not apply in the same way to pediatric patients.