What it means
A pattern seen when several readings are compared over time. One blood pressure or lab result tells less than the series: a heart rate going from 88 to 102 to 118 is a trend even if each number alone seems acceptable. On the exam, questions often give values over several hours and ask the nurse to see where they are heading.
For the nurse
Compare each finding with the client's earlier values, not only with the normal range, and report a worsening trend before it becomes an emergency.
In a chart
"Urine output trending down: 60, 40, then 20 mL/hr over the last 3 hours."
At a glance
| Also written | trending, trended |
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Related terms
vital signs
The basic body measurements: temperature, pulse, breathing rate and blood pressure, often with oxygen saturation and pain.
evaluate
To judge whether care worked by comparing the client's results with the goals that were set.
monitor
To watch, check or measure something again and again over a period of time.
reference range
The range of results for a lab test that is expected in healthy people, also called the normal range.