The ED nurse is caring for a patient who has gone into cardiac arrest. During external defibrillation, what action should the nurse perform?
A) Place gel pads over the apex and posterior chest for better conduction.
B) Ensure no one is touching the patient at the time shock is delivered.
C) Continue to ventilate the patient via endotracheal tube during the procedure.
D) Allow at least 3 minutes between shocks.
Ans: B
Feedback:
In external defibrillation, both paddles may be placed on the front of the chest, which is the standard paddle placement. Whether using pads, or paddles, the nurse must observe two safety measures. First, maintain good contact between the pads or paddles and the patient's skin to prevent leaking. Second, ensure that no one is in contact with the patient or with anything that is touching the patient when the defibrillator is discharged, to minimize the chance that electrical current will be conducted to anyone other than the patient. Ventilation should be stopped during defibrillation.
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