Dysrhythmia NCLEX Questions
1. You are the nurse working on the telemetry unit and you have finally got-
ten to sit down to work on some charting. Suddenly the heart monitors at the
station start beeping. Patient in room 18 is showing this rhythm on the
monitor.The medical team advances together into the room and finds them
unconscious. What is priority action by the nurse?
A) Prepare to administer adenosine to the patient
B) Begin chest compressions
C) Prepare for defibrillation
D) Check for a pulse: <Answer> : D. A pulse would be assessed for first. Then the
patient will be defibrillized and chest compressions will begin immediately.
2. The nurse sees the following rhythm on the monitor.Which of the following
lab values does the nurse identify as being most likely to have caused this
dysrhythmia?
,a) K 3.0
b) Ca 10.5
c) Hgb 9
d) Magnesium 2.1: <Answer> : C. Anemia can contribute to sinus tachycardia.
3. The patient who has recently been experiencing runs of ventricular tachy-
cardia suddenly loses consciousness.The patient is defibrillated, and the rate
returns as the following. What should the nurse do first?
A) Begin compressions
B) Shock the client again immediately
C) Prepare for intubation
D) Administer adenosine: <Answer> : A. Following defibrillation, CPR is immediately
initiated if a perfusable rhythm is not initiated. The client may need to be shocked
again, but chest compressions must begin first.
4. A patient with cardiomyopathy has been given an ICD.Which of the following
medications would the nurse expect to see in the MAR for this patient?
,A) Warfarin
B) Cardizem
C) Nitroglycerin
D) Digoxin: <Answer> : B. Antiarrhythmic medications are prescribed with the use of an
ICD in order to prevent the tachycardic (or other deadly arrhythmia) from occurring in
the first place.This makes sure that the ICD is used only when absolutely necessary.
5. The patient with a history of hypertension and diabetes has the following
rhythm strip.The patient's vitals are as follows: BP 145/89, HR 90, SpO2 95%,
RR 19. Which of the following does the nurse expect to do at this time?
a) Prepare the client for cardioversion STAT
b) Begin administering anticoagulants
, c) Grab the crash cart for administration of adenosine
d) Teach the client about possibility of pacemaker installation: <Answer> : B. Atrial
n the atria.
flutter places the client at high risk for development of clot formation i would not be
Because the client is stable at this time, cardioversion or adenosine
performed at this time. Before cardioversion can occur in a patient, anticoagulant
therapy should be begun at least 48 hours beforehand if possible.
6. The nurse is preparing to administer adenosine to the patient with the
following rhythm which is symptomatic.What should the nurse plan on having in
the patient room?
a) Physician
b) Crash cart
c) IV pump
d) EKG monitor
e) Lidocaine: <Answer> : A, B, and D. Adenosine is administered as a very quick IV
push.The physician must be present in the room and the crash cart must be on hand. An
ekg monitor should be in the room to monitor the effectiveness of the medication.
1. You are the nurse working on the telemetry unit and you have finally got-
ten to sit down to work on some charting. Suddenly the heart monitors at the
station start beeping. Patient in room 18 is showing this rhythm on the
monitor.The medical team advances together into the room and finds them
unconscious. What is priority action by the nurse?
A) Prepare to administer adenosine to the patient
B) Begin chest compressions
C) Prepare for defibrillation
D) Check for a pulse: <Answer> : D. A pulse would be assessed for first. Then the
patient will be defibrillized and chest compressions will begin immediately.
2. The nurse sees the following rhythm on the monitor.Which of the following
lab values does the nurse identify as being most likely to have caused this
dysrhythmia?
,a) K 3.0
b) Ca 10.5
c) Hgb 9
d) Magnesium 2.1: <Answer> : C. Anemia can contribute to sinus tachycardia.
3. The patient who has recently been experiencing runs of ventricular tachy-
cardia suddenly loses consciousness.The patient is defibrillated, and the rate
returns as the following. What should the nurse do first?
A) Begin compressions
B) Shock the client again immediately
C) Prepare for intubation
D) Administer adenosine: <Answer> : A. Following defibrillation, CPR is immediately
initiated if a perfusable rhythm is not initiated. The client may need to be shocked
again, but chest compressions must begin first.
4. A patient with cardiomyopathy has been given an ICD.Which of the following
medications would the nurse expect to see in the MAR for this patient?
,A) Warfarin
B) Cardizem
C) Nitroglycerin
D) Digoxin: <Answer> : B. Antiarrhythmic medications are prescribed with the use of an
ICD in order to prevent the tachycardic (or other deadly arrhythmia) from occurring in
the first place.This makes sure that the ICD is used only when absolutely necessary.
5. The patient with a history of hypertension and diabetes has the following
rhythm strip.The patient's vitals are as follows: BP 145/89, HR 90, SpO2 95%,
RR 19. Which of the following does the nurse expect to do at this time?
a) Prepare the client for cardioversion STAT
b) Begin administering anticoagulants
, c) Grab the crash cart for administration of adenosine
d) Teach the client about possibility of pacemaker installation: <Answer> : B. Atrial
n the atria.
flutter places the client at high risk for development of clot formation i would not be
Because the client is stable at this time, cardioversion or adenosine
performed at this time. Before cardioversion can occur in a patient, anticoagulant
therapy should be begun at least 48 hours beforehand if possible.
6. The nurse is preparing to administer adenosine to the patient with the
following rhythm which is symptomatic.What should the nurse plan on having in
the patient room?
a) Physician
b) Crash cart
c) IV pump
d) EKG monitor
e) Lidocaine: <Answer> : A, B, and D. Adenosine is administered as a very quick IV
push.The physician must be present in the room and the crash cart must be on hand. An
ekg monitor should be in the room to monitor the effectiveness of the medication.
