CH 26

inherent rhythmicity of cardiac muscle tissue.

A client asks the nurse what causes the heart to be an effective pump. The nurse informs the client that this is due to the:

The need to have regular blood levels drawn

A client has been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and has been prescribed warfarin therapy. What should the nurse prioritize when providing health education to the client?

sinus bradycardia

A client is diagnosed with a dysrhythmia at a rate slower than 60 beats/minute. What type of dysrhythmia does the client have?

Atrial flutter

A client presents to the emergency department via ambulance with a heart rate of 210 beats/minute and a sawtooth waveform pattern per cardiac monitor. The nurse is most correct to alert the medical team of the presence of a client with which disorder?

"The small box will transmit the heart rhythm to the central monitor all the time."

A client with a second-degree atrioventricular heart block, Type II is admitted to the coronary care unit. How will the nurse explain the need to monitor the client's electrocardiogram (ECG) strip to the spouse?

Premature atrial complex

A healthy adult client is seeing a health care provider for an annual physical examination. While the nurse is taking the client's vital signs, the client states, "Occasionally, my heart skips a beat. Is this normal?" What is the nurse's best response?

Clients with recurrent life-threatening tachydysrhythmias

A nurse is caring for a client who has been admitted to have a cardioverter defibrillator implanted. The nurse knows that implanted cardioverter defibrillators are used in which clients?

Begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation

A nurse provides morning care for a client in the intensive care unit (ICU). Suddenly, the bedside monitor shows ventricular fibrillation and the client becomes unresponsive. After calling for assistance, what action should the nurse take next?

Sinus tachycardia

A patient comes to the emergency department with reports of chest pain after using cocaine. The nurse assesses the patient and obtains vital signs with results as follows: blood pressure 140/92, heart rate 128, respiratory rate 26, and an oxygen saturation of 98%. What rhythm on the monitor does the nurse anticipate viewing?

Warfarin

A patient with hypertension has a newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation. What medication does the nurse anticipate administering to prevent the complication of atrial thrombi?

0.12 and 0.2 seconds.

After performing an ECG on an adult client, the nurse reports that the PR interval reflects normal sinus rhythm. What is the PR interval for a normal sinus rhythm?

normal sinus rhythm.

The nurse analyzes a 6-second electrocardiogram (ECG) tracing. The P waves and QRS complexes are regular. The PR interval is 0.18 seconds long, and the QRS complexes are 0.08 seconds long. The heart rate is calculated at 70 bpm. The nurse correctly identifies this rhythm as

QT interval that is 0. 46 seconds long

The nurse analyzes the electrocardiogram (ECG) tracing of a client newly admitted to the cardiac step-down unit with a diagnosis of chest pain. Which finding indicates the need for follow-up?

Atrial depolarization

The nurse cares for a client with a dysrhythmia and understands that the P wave on an electrocardiogram (ECG) represents which phase of the cardiac cycle?

Hypokalemia

The nurse identifies which of the following as a potential cause of premature ventricular complexes (PVCs)?

Begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

The nurse in the intensive care unit (ICU) hears an alarm sound in the patient's room. Arriving in the room, the patient is unresponsive, without a pulse, and a flat line on the monitor. What is the first action by the nurse?

Pacer rate

The nurse is assessing vital signs in a patient with a permanent pacemaker. What should the nurse document about the pacemaker?

Monitor cardiac rhythm continuously.

The nurse is caring for a client who has a suspected dysrhythmia. What most appropriate intervention should the nurse use to help detect dysrhythmias?

"You will need to cancel this activity; you must restrict arm movement above your head for 2 weeks."

The nurse is caring for a client who is being discharged after insertion of a permanent pacemaker. The client, an avid tennis player, is scheduled to play in a tournament in 1 week. What is the best advice the nurse can give related to this activity?

Avoid undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

The nurse is providing discharge instructions to a client after a permanent pacemaker insertion. Which safety precaution will the nurse communicate to the client?

Your family and friends may want to take a CPR class.

The nurse is proving discharge instructions for a client with a new arrhythmia. Which statement should the nurse include?

Ventricular fibrillation

The nurse is working on a monitored unit assessing the cardiac monitor rhythms. Which waveform pattern needs attention first?

Administer an IV bolus of atropine.

The nurse is working on a telemetry unit, caring for a client who develops dizziness and a second-degree heart block, Mobitz Type 1. What will be the initial nursing intervention?

Complete heart block

The nurse knows that a pacemaker is the treatment of choice for what cardiac dysrhythmia?

occur at a rate of more than six per minute

The nurse recognizes that Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are considered precursors of ventricular tachycardia (VT) when they:

ventricular fibrillation

The nurse working in the emergency department places a client in anaphylactic shock on a cardiac monitor and sees the cardiac rhythm below. What dysthymia should the nurse document?

ventricular tachycardia

The nurse working in the emergency department places a client in anaphylactic shock on a cardiac monitor and sees the cardiac rhythm below. What dysthymia should the nurse document?

"The only difference is the heart rate."

The nursing student asks the nurse to describe the difference between sinus rhythm and sinus bradycardia on the electrocardiogram strip. What is the nurse's best reply?

P wave

To evaluate a client's atrial depolarization, the nurse observes which part of the electrocardiogram waveform?

Anticoagulant

Which of the following medication classifications is more likely to be expected when the nurse is caring for a client with atrial fibrillation?