Med-Surg Ch. 26 Cardiac Dysrhythmias

Cardiac monitoring

The nurse is caring for a client who has just undergone catheter ablation therapy. The nurse in the step-down unit should prioritize what assessment?

Recognize this as a therapeutic goal of the procedure.

The nurse is caring for a client with refractory atrial fibrillation who underwent the maze procedure several months ago. The nurse reviews the result of the client's most recent cardiac imaging, which notes the presence of scarring on the atria. How should the nurse best interpret this finding?

Give an IV bolus of atropine.

The nurse is working on a telemetry unit, caring for a client who has been in a sinus rhythm for the past 2 days with a heart rate of 88 to 96 beats per minute. The client puts on the call light in the bathroom and reports severe dizziness. The telemetry shows a heart rate of 46 beats per minute. What should the nurse be prepared to do?

QRS complex

The nursing educator is presenting a case study of an adult client who has abnormal ventricular depolarization. This pathologic change would be most evident in what component of the ECG?

Destroying the specific cardiac cells that are causing the patient's arrythmia

A 71-year-old woman has a history of recurrent atrial arrhythmias and has consequently been scheduled for catheter ablation. The nurse who has been providing care for this patient should recognize that this procedure will address the patient's arrhythmia by:

experiences recurrent episodes of atrial flutter

A client has had an automatic implanted cardioverter defibrillator (AICD) implanted. The nurse explains the purpose and benefits of the AICD to the client's family. The least likely reason for the client's AICD implantation is that 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?

60

A client is diagnosed with sinus bradycardia. The nurse knows that the client's atrial rate is at or below what number?

ventricular depolarization

A client with second-degree atrioventricular heart block is admitted to the coronary care unit. The nurse closely monitors the client's heart rate and rhythm. When interpreting the client's electrocardiogram (ECG) strip, the nurse knows that the QRS complex represents:

Atropine

A nurse is caring for a client who's experiencing sinus bradycardia with a pulse rate of 40 beats/minute. The client's blood pressure is 80/50 mm Hg and the client reports dizziness. Which medication does the nurse anticipate administering to treat bradycardia?

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?

To diagnose the dysrythmia

A patient has been admitted to the unit for an electrophysiology (EP) study. For what is this study primarily performed?

"Sawtooth" pattern to the waveform

Heart rate of 42 beats per minute (bpm).A patient is being examined for medical management of atrial flutter. The nurse reviews the ECG strip. He expects to see which of the following?

The SA node initiates the impulse Impulse travels to the AV node in 0.12 to 0.2 seconds Each impulse occurs regularly (evenly spaced).

Nursing students are reviewing characteristics of a normal sinus rhythm. Which of the following characteristics would they accurately identify as true statements?

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?

T wave

The nurse is analyzing a rhythm strip. What component of the ECG corresponds to the resting state of the client's heart?

Pacer rate

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

Recognize that the view of the electrical current changes in relation to the lead placement.

The nurse is caring for a client who has had an ECG. The nurse notes that leads I, II, and III differ from one another on the cardiac rhythm strip. How should the nurse best respond?

Monitor vital signs and cardiac rhythm

Which nursing intervention must a nurse perform when administering prescribed vasopressors to a client with a cardiac dysrhythmia?

Hypovolemia and fever

While assessing a client, the nurse finds a heart rate of 120 beats per minute. The nurse recalls that causes of sinus tachycardia include which of the following?