How can you assess the respiratory rate of a sleeping person?

To assess the respiratory rate of a sleeping person, gently placing your hand on their chest allows you to feel the rise and fall with each breath without disturbing their sleep. This method is unobtrusive and effective for gathering an accurate count of breaths because it provides direct feedback regarding the breathing pattern.

Gently feeling the chest also helps to ensure that you are not influencing their respiratory rate by waking them or causing any sudden movements that might alter their natural breathing rhythm. This is especially important in a clinical setting where maintaining the patient’s comfort and natural state is crucial for accurate assessments.

Counting breaths while a person sleeps can be effective, but it might not be as accurate if the person shifts position or if the breaths become irregular. Observing chest movement without touching can provide a visual cue, but it may not give the same level of accuracy as feeling the movements directly. Waking the person to ask them about their breathing would disrupt their sleep and potentially lead to a stressful situation, making this approach less suitable for ethical and practical reasons.