Final answer:
While assessing respiration, the heart rate can also be checked, as both are critical vital signs indicating a patient's cardiopulmonary function. A normal adult breathing rate is 12-18 breaths per minute, and the typical heart rate is 60-100 beats per minute.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the assessment of respiration, heart rate can also be evaluated simultaneously. These two vital signs are often checked together to gain insights into a patient’s cardiopulmonary function. When assessing respiration, clinicians typically measure the breathing rate, which is the number of breaths per minute. The normal breathing rate for a resting adult is between 12-18 breaths per minute. Alongside, the heart rate is measured, which is the number of beats per minute of the heart. A normal heart rate for adults ranges from 60-100 beats per minute.
Vital signs are an essential component of patient assessment as they reflect the body’s basic functions and changes in these can indicate the presence of disease. For example, detection of a fever, which involves an increase in body temperature above the normal 37 °C (98.6 °F), can be a sign of infection or illness. In neonatal care, the Apgar score is used post-birth to assess a baby’s health, encompassing five criteria: skin color, heart rate, reflex, muscle tone, and respiration. This scoring system shows the importance of heart rate and respiration in indicating the baby's condition immediately after birth.