Vitals Check for pts. on Respiratory Support

[JThieman]

My leader has asked me look into how frequently we should be documenting vitals for patients on respiratory support. She would like to require charting HR and RR Qhour for these patients but doesn't know where to draw the line. Should it be for ptss on greater than 2L? CPAP and greater support? Any ideas or suggestions on what you all do?

[jennylee321]

All the places I've worked it had been hourly for all patients on resp support. And except for one place has been hourly on all patients on monitors. The rationale for that being if they aren't having hourly vitals done then why are they on the monitor.

[vintage_RN, BSN, RN]

We chart vitals on patients Q3H even on resp support. More often if they are intubated or unstable.

[BrandNewBabyNurse]

Up until about 3 months ago, we charted hourly vitals on every patient except those in our separate step-down unit. Now we chart hourly vitals on all patients who are on more than low-flow NC, but room air or LFNC babies are q3 hour vitals with touch times. We rarely put our LFNC higher than 1 LPM, so it works for us. Typically if they need more support they go to Vapotherm, which is an automatic hourly charting scenario.

[Danielle_Nicole887]

Hourly for all resp support higher than lfnc.

lfnc or room air then every 3-4 hrs.