The nurse notices that the patient has a first-degree AV block. Everything else about the rhythm is normal. The nurse should:
a. prepare to place the patient on a transcutaneous pacemaker.
b. give the patient atropine to shorten the PR interval.
c. monitor the rhythm and patient's condition.
d. give the patient an antiarrhythmic medication.
C
First-degree AV block is a common dysrhythmia in the elderly and in patients with cardiac disease. As the normal conduction pathway ages or becomes diseased, impulse conduction becomes slower than normal. It is well tolerated. No treatment is required. Continue to monitor the patient and the rhythm.
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