Nationally Registered Certified Medical Assistant (NRCMA) (NAHP) Practice Exam 2025 – The All-in-One Guide to Exam Mastery!

The best way to determine an accurate respiratory rate is by visually watching the patient's chest rise and fall while appearing to take the pulse. This method is more reliable than counting aloud or using a stethoscope, as it allows for simultaneous monitoring of both pulse and respiratory rate. Additionally, relying on the patient to count aloud may not yield an accurate result due to various factors such as speaking patterns or mental state. Similarly, listening to the patient breathe from a distance may not be precise and could lead to an incorrect measurement. Therefore, the most effective and recommended method is to visually observe the patient's chest movements while checking their pulse.