What vital signs indicate significant concern for the patient's stability two hours after admission to the ICU?

The correct answer highlights respiratory and heart rate parameters that suggest significant instability in the patient's condition. When a patient exhibits a respiratory rate of 28 breaths per minute alongside a pulse of 155 beats per minute, this indicates potential physiological distress.

Typically, a normal respiratory rate ranges from 12 to 20 breaths per minute, so an increase to 28 can suggest respiratory distress or failure. Concurrently, a pulse rate of 155 beats per minute indicates tachycardia, which could be a response to hypoxia, pain, anxiety, or an underlying cardiovascular problem.

These two vital signs combined are alarming, signaling a possible deterioration in the patient’s stability and necessitating immediate assessment and intervention. Monitoring these parameters is crucial as they often correlate with the body's response to inadequate oxygenation or other critical conditions.

In contrast, the other options either reflect stable or near-normal conditions that do not warrant the same level of concern. For instance, a temperature of 37.2°C with a normal pulse suggests a patient is afebrile and likely stable. A blood pressure reading of 120/80 mm Hg falls within normal limits, and a SpO2 level of 90% does indicate concern, but it does not present the same acute