Reading Tables, Charts & Graphs

Why This Matters for Nursing: Patient charts, vital sign graphs, lab result tables, medication schedules—nurses interpret visual data constantly. Being able to quickly and accurately read data displays is essential for patient care.

What You Need to Know

Types of Data Displays

🧠 Memory Trick

Before reading ANY graph: 1. Read the TITLE — What is this about? 2. Check the AXES — What do X and Y represent? 3. Note the SCALE — What are the units? Are there breaks? 4. Look for PATTERNS — Trends, outliers, peaks

"TASK" = Title, Axes, Scale, Key patterns

Reading Tables

What to Look For:

• Row and column headers
• Units of measurement
• Footnotes or special symbols

Example Table: Patient Vital Signs

Questions you might be asked: - What was the pulse at 1200? → 78 - By how much did temperature increase? → 100.1 - 98.6 = 1.5°F - What trend do you notice? → All values increasing over time

Reading Bar Graphs

Key Skills:

• Compare heights of bars
• Read values from the y-axis
• Identify highest/lowest categories

Example Analysis:

If a bar reaches the 150 mark and each gridline = 50, the value is 150.

Reading Line Graphs

Key Skills:

• Track trends over time
• Identify peaks and valleys
• Calculate rate of change

Trend Language:

• Increasing: Line goes up left to right
• Decreasing: Line goes down left to right
• Stable/Constant: Line stays flat
• Fluctuating: Line goes up and down

Reading Pie Charts

Key Skills:

• Identify largest/smallest sections
• Calculate actual values from percentages
• Compare proportions

Example:

If a pie chart shows "30% Cardiology" and total patients = 200: - Cardiology patients = 30% × 200 = 60 patients

✏️ Worked Examples

Example 1: Table Reading — Nursing Context

Problem: Using the vital signs table above, what is the change in respiratory rate from 0800 to 1600?

Step 1 — Read the table carefully. Find the respiratory rate (Resp column) for both times. - 0800: 16 breaths/min - 1600: 20 breaths/min

Step 2 — Calculate the change. New minus old: 20 - 16 = 4 breaths/min.

Step 3 — State the direction. The rate went up, so it increased.

Answer: Increased by 4 breaths/minute

💡 TEAS tip: Always note WHICH direction the change went (increased vs. decreased). The question often asks for both the amount AND the direction.