A client with a femur fracture shows which change in vital signs indicating a possible serious complication?

• A. Increased respiratory rate from 18 to 44/min
• B. Increased oral temperature from 97.8 to 98.6
• C. Increased blood pressure from 112/68 to 120/72
• D. Increased heart rate from 68 to 72

Answer: (A)

Rapid breathing after a femur fracture points to a pulmonary complication that could be life-threatening. A normal adult breathes about 12–20 times per minute; jumping to 44 breaths per minute is a marked tachypnea, signaling the lungs are under stress and oxygen delivery may be compromised. In long-bone injuries, fat droplets can enter the bloodstream and travel to the lungs, causing fat embolism syndrome, which often presents first with rapid, shallow breathing and hypoxemia. The other vital sign changes described—only a small temperature rise, a mild blood pressure increase, or a slight heart rate uptick—are less specific and not as alarming for an acute pulmonary crisis. So the dramatic increase in respiratory rate is the most concerning and suggests a possible serious complication requiring prompt evaluation of oxygenation and respiratory status.