If a patient has a respiratory rate of 28 breaths per minute and is visibly labored, which category best fits?

• A. Adequate Breathing
• B. Normal Breathing
• C. Inadequate Breathing
• D. Absent Breathing

Answer: (C)

Assessing breathing means looking at both rate and the effort of breathing. A rate of 28 breaths per minute is tachypnea, which already signals abnormal ventilation. Coupled with visible labored effort, it shows the patient is working hard to breathe but not doing so comfortably or efficiently. That combination indicates inadequate ventilation—the breaths are fast and difficult, rather than normal, effortless breaths.

It isn’t normal or adequate breathing, which would involve a comfortable, regular rate and ease of breathing. It isn’t absent breathing, which would be no breaths at all. So the best fit is inadequate breathing.