A nurse is caring for a client on a cardiac monitor and whose rhythm suddenly changes. There are no P waves; instead she observes wavy lines. The QRS complexes measure 0.08 second and are irregular. The client's heart rate is 120 beats/minute. The nurse interprets that this rhythm is:
Ventricular tachycardia
Sinus tachycardia
Ventricular fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation
The Correct Answer is D
A. Ventricular tachycardia presents with wide QRS complexes (usually >0.12 second), and the rhythm is typically regular—not irregular as seen here.
B. Sinus tachycardia has identifiable P waves before each QRS complex and a regular rhythm, which is not the case here.
C. Ventricular fibrillation presents as a chaotic, irregular waveform with no identifiable QRS complexes, resulting in no effective cardiac output—this is more severe than the rhythm described.
D. Atrial fibrillation is characterized by the absence of P waves, irregularly irregular rhythm, wavy baseline (fibrillatory waves), and often a rapid ventricular response, such as the heart rate of 120 bpm observed in this client.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Hepatomegaly (enlarged liver) is a classic sign of right ventricular failure due to systemic venous congestion.
B. A dry, hacking cough is more commonly associated with left-sided heart failure and pulmonary congestion.
C. Crackles in the lungs result from fluid backing up into the lungs, a hallmark of left-sided heart failure, not right-sided.
D. Dizziness may occur in left-sided failure due to decreased cardiac output and poor cerebral perfusion, but it is not a key feature of right-sided failure.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. Platelets are administered to treat or prevent bleeding due to thrombocytopenia or platelet dysfunction, not primarily for volume loss.
B. Albumin is a plasma volume expander and may be used in hypovolemia, but it does not replace oxygen-carrying capacity like RBCs do.
C. Cryoprecipitates are rich in clotting factors (e.g., fibrinogen, factor VIII) and are used for coagulopathies, not as a primary treatment for hypovolemic shock.
D. Packed RBCs are the appropriate choice in hypovolemic shock, especially when blood loss has occurred, as they restore oxygen-carrying capacity and circulating blood volume.
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