Which technique should be used by a nurse to assess tissue perfusion in a recently admitted client?

Assessing tissue perfusion is essential in evaluating how well blood is circulating through the tissues and delivering oxygen. One effective technique to assess tissue perfusion directly is to evaluate the client’s level of oxygen saturation. This measurement indicates the percentage of hemoglobin binding sites in the bloodstream occupied by oxygen, which serves as a vital indicator of how well oxygen is being delivered to the body's tissues.

When oxygen saturation levels are low, it may suggest inadequate perfusion or respiratory problems, signaling potential issues that require immediate intervention. Therefore, monitoring oxygen saturation is crucial for assessing a client's perfusion status, especially in a clinical setting where timely decisions are critical for patient care.

Other options, such as respiratory rate, chest diameter, and depth of respirations, provide important information regarding the respiratory system's status but do not directly indicate tissue perfusion. While these parameters can inform a broader assessment of a client's overall health, they do not specifically measure how well tissues are receiving oxygenated blood.