Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of respiration?

The characteristics of respiration encompass various aspects of how breaths are taken and can be assessed during a physical examination. While respiration can indeed be described in terms of depth (shallow or deep), the ease of breathing (easy or labored), and regularity (regular or irregular), the specific terms related to the rate of breathing typically fall under the term "respiratory rate."

Fast and slow describe the rate of breathing but do not directly characterize the quality or nature of respiration in terms of the characteristics normally assessed in clinical practice. Thus, focusing solely on fast or slow misses the critical aspects of how the breath feels or is executed.

Understanding respiration in this way allows first responders to assess a patient more thoroughly, looking beyond just how quickly or slowly a person is breathing to include the other essential characteristics that can indicate the severity of a respiratory condition or distress.