The nurse is caring for an adult patient with a respiratory rate of 32 breaths/minute. Which term will the nurse use to document this finding in the patient's chart?

A. Document the findings in the patient's medical record. While documentation is important, further assessment is needed before determining if the blood pressure is abnormal for this patient.
B. Apply a cool washcloth to the patient's forehead. The patient’s temperature is normal (98.9°F), so there is no need for cooling measures.
C. Administer oxygen at 2 L/minute via nasal cannula. The pulse oximetry is 94%, which is adequate for most patients. Oxygen is not needed unless the patient shows signs of respiratory distress.
D. Ask the patient about his usual blood pressure results. The blood pressure (144/94 mmHg) is elevated, but before determining if intervention is needed, the nurse should ask if this is typical for the patient or if it is an isolated finding.

A. Narrowing of the inferior vena cava, causing low blood flow and increases in venous pressure resulting in varicosities. The inferior vena cava does not significantly narrow with aging. Varicosities are more commonly due to valve insufficiency in the veins rather than vena cava narrowing.
B. Progressive atrophy of the intramuscular calf veins, causing venous insufficiency. Venous insufficiency is common in older adults, but it is primarily due to valve dysfunction and prolonged venous pressure rather than atrophy of calf veins.
C. Peripheral blood vessels growing more rigid with age, producing a rise in systolic blood pressure. Aging leads to arteriosclerosis, where blood vessels become stiffer, reducing their ability to expand and contract, which contributes to increased systolic blood pressure. This is a well-documented normal physiologic change in older adults.
D. Hormonal changes causing vasodilation and a resulting drop in blood pressure. While some hormonal changes occur with aging, they do not typically lead to significant vasodilation. In fact, the loss of vascular elasticity and autonomic dysfunction can contribute to postural hypotension, but not a generalized drop in blood pressure.