Which signs indicate respiratory distress to look for during inspection?

• A. Tripod position, struggling to breathe, pursed lips, nasal flaring
• B. Quiet breathing and relaxed shoulders
• C. Shallow breaths only
• D. Headache and dizziness

Answer: (A)

During inspection, look for signs of increased work of breathing. A patient who sits in a tripod position, is visibly struggling to breathe, purses the lips, and shows nasal flaring is using extra muscles to move air and is indicating respiratory distress. Each of these cues reflects the body's effort to overcome airway resistance and inadequate ventilation, so together they form a clear picture of immediate respiratory strain.

Quiet breathing with relaxed shoulders suggests stability rather than distress. Shallow breaths can occur for various reasons and don’t always demonstrate active work of breathing. Headache and dizziness are symptoms that may accompany respiratory problems but aren’t direct visual signs seen during inspection of breathing effort.