The cardiac monitor technician immediately alerts the nurse that her patient is showing no cardiac rhythm. Upon assessment of the patient, the nurse determines that the patient is experiencing cardiac arrest
In providing cardiac resuscitation documentation, the nurse will describe this initial absence of cardiac rhythm as:
A) Pulseless electrical activity (PEA)
B) Ventricular fibrillation
C) Ventricular tachycardia
D) Asystole
Ans: D
Feedback: Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart ceases to produce an effective pulse and circulate blood. It may be caused by a cardiac electrical event such as ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, profound bradycardia, or when there is no heart rhythm at all (asystole). Cardiac arrest may also occur when electrical activity is present but there is ineffective cardiac contraction or circulating volume, which is pulseless electrical activity (PEA). Asystole is the only condition that involves the absence of a heart rhythm.
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