MEDICAL SURGICAL TELEMETRY B – COMPLETE EXAM QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST UPDATED (2026)
1. Q: What is the normal heart rate range for adults? ANSWER 60-100
beats per minute
2. Q: What does the P wave represent on an ECG? ANSWER Atrial
depolarization
3. Q: What does the QRS complex represent? ANSWER Ventricular
depolarization
4. Q: What does the T wave represent? ANSWER Ventricular repolarization
5. Q: What is the normal PR interval? ANSWER 0.12-0.20 seconds (3-5
small boxes)
6. Q: What is the normal QRS duration? ANSWER 0.06-0.10 seconds (1.5-
2.5 small boxes)
7. Q: What is the normal QT interval? ANSWER 0.36-0.44 seconds (varies
with heart rate)
8. Q: What are the characteristics of sinus bradycardia? ANSWER
Regular rhythm, rate <60 bpm, normal P waves before each QRS
9. Q: What are the characteristics of sinus tachycardia? ANSWER Regular
rhythm, rate >100 bpm, normal P waves before each QRS
10. Q: What causes sinus tachycardia? ANSWER Fever, anxiety, pain,
hypovolemia, hypoxia, medications, exercise
11. Q: What is atrial fibrillation? ANSWER Irregular rhythm with no
distinct P waves, irregularly irregular ventricular response
12. Q: What is the primary concern with atrial fibrillation? ANSWER
Risk of thrombus formation and stroke
13. Q: What medication is commonly used for rate control in atrial
fibrillation? ANSWER Beta-blockers (metoprolol), calcium channel blockers
(diltiazem), or digoxin
,14. Q: What is the difference between atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation?
ANSWER Atrial flutter has regular sawtooth flutter waves, while a-fib has
chaotic atrial activity
15. Q: What is the atrial rate in atrial flutter? ANSWER 250-350 beats per
minute
16. Q: What are premature atrial contractions (PACs)? ANSWER Early
beats originating in the atria with abnormal P wave morphology
17. Q: What are premature ventricular contractions (PVCs)? ANSWER
Early beats originating in the ventricles with wide, bizarre QRS complexes
18. Q: When are PVCs considered dangerous? ANSWER When frequent
(>6/min), multifocal, occurring in pairs/runs, or R-on-T phenomenon
19. Q: What is ventricular tachycardia? ANSWER Three or more
consecutive PVCs at a rate >100 bpm with wide QRS complexes
20. Q: What is the immediate treatment for pulseless ventricular
tachycardia? ANSWER Immediate defibrillation and CPR
21. Q: What is ventricular fibrillation? ANSWER Chaotic, disorganized
electrical activity with no identifiable waves
22. Q: What is the treatment for ventricular fibrillation? ANSWER
Immediate defibrillation, CPR, and ACLS protocol
23. Q: What is asystole? ANSWER Complete absence of ventricular
electrical activity (flat line)
24. Q: What is the treatment for asystole? ANSWER CPR, epinephrine, and
identify/treat reversible causes
25. Q: What is first-degree AV block? ANSWER PR interval >0.20 seconds,
all P waves conducted
26. Q: What is second-degree AV block Type I (Mobitz I/Wenckebach)?
ANSWER Progressive PR interval prolongation until a QRS is dropped
27. Q: What is second-degree AV block Type II (Mobitz II)? ANSWER
Intermittent non-conducted P waves without PR prolongation
28. Q: Which type of second-degree AV block is more dangerous?
ANSWER Type II (Mobitz II) - higher risk of progressing to complete heart
block
, 29. Q: What is third-degree (complete) heart block? ANSWER No
relationship between P waves and QRS complexes; atria and ventricles beat
independently
30. Q: What is the treatment for symptomatic third-degree heart block?
ANSWER Temporary pacing followed by permanent pacemaker insertion
31. Q: What is supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)? ANSWER Rapid
regular rhythm originating above the ventricles, rate 150-250 bpm
32. Q: What is the first-line treatment for stable SVT? ANSWER Vagal
maneuvers (Valsalva, carotid massage)
33. Q: What medication is used if vagal maneuvers fail in SVT? ANSWER
Adenosine 6 mg rapid IV push, followed by 12 mg if needed
34. Q: What should you warn patients about before giving adenosine?
ANSWER Brief feeling of impending doom, chest discomfort, and potential
transient asystole
35. Q: What is a junctional rhythm? ANSWER Rhythm originating from the
AV junction, rate 40-60 bpm, absent or inverted P waves
36. Q: What is the significance of an idioventricular rhythm? ANSWER
Ventricular escape rhythm with rate 20-40 bpm; indicates failure of higher
pacemakers
37. Q: What does ST segment elevation indicate? ANSWER Myocardial
injury, typically seen in acute MI
38. Q: What does ST segment depression indicate? ANSWER Myocardial
ischemia or reciprocal changes
39. Q: What is a normal axis on ECG? ANSWER -30 to +90 degrees
40. Q: What leads show inferior wall MI? ANSWER Leads II, III, and aVF
41. Q: What leads show anterior wall MI? ANSWER Leads V3 and V4
42. Q: What leads show lateral wall MI? ANSWER Leads I, aVL, V5, and
V6
43. Q: What leads show septal wall MI? ANSWER Leads V1 and V2
44. Q: What are reciprocal changes on ECG? ANSWER ST depression in
leads opposite to ST elevation
CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST UPDATED (2026)
1. Q: What is the normal heart rate range for adults? ANSWER 60-100
beats per minute
2. Q: What does the P wave represent on an ECG? ANSWER Atrial
depolarization
3. Q: What does the QRS complex represent? ANSWER Ventricular
depolarization
4. Q: What does the T wave represent? ANSWER Ventricular repolarization
5. Q: What is the normal PR interval? ANSWER 0.12-0.20 seconds (3-5
small boxes)
6. Q: What is the normal QRS duration? ANSWER 0.06-0.10 seconds (1.5-
2.5 small boxes)
7. Q: What is the normal QT interval? ANSWER 0.36-0.44 seconds (varies
with heart rate)
8. Q: What are the characteristics of sinus bradycardia? ANSWER
Regular rhythm, rate <60 bpm, normal P waves before each QRS
9. Q: What are the characteristics of sinus tachycardia? ANSWER Regular
rhythm, rate >100 bpm, normal P waves before each QRS
10. Q: What causes sinus tachycardia? ANSWER Fever, anxiety, pain,
hypovolemia, hypoxia, medications, exercise
11. Q: What is atrial fibrillation? ANSWER Irregular rhythm with no
distinct P waves, irregularly irregular ventricular response
12. Q: What is the primary concern with atrial fibrillation? ANSWER
Risk of thrombus formation and stroke
13. Q: What medication is commonly used for rate control in atrial
fibrillation? ANSWER Beta-blockers (metoprolol), calcium channel blockers
(diltiazem), or digoxin
,14. Q: What is the difference between atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation?
ANSWER Atrial flutter has regular sawtooth flutter waves, while a-fib has
chaotic atrial activity
15. Q: What is the atrial rate in atrial flutter? ANSWER 250-350 beats per
minute
16. Q: What are premature atrial contractions (PACs)? ANSWER Early
beats originating in the atria with abnormal P wave morphology
17. Q: What are premature ventricular contractions (PVCs)? ANSWER
Early beats originating in the ventricles with wide, bizarre QRS complexes
18. Q: When are PVCs considered dangerous? ANSWER When frequent
(>6/min), multifocal, occurring in pairs/runs, or R-on-T phenomenon
19. Q: What is ventricular tachycardia? ANSWER Three or more
consecutive PVCs at a rate >100 bpm with wide QRS complexes
20. Q: What is the immediate treatment for pulseless ventricular
tachycardia? ANSWER Immediate defibrillation and CPR
21. Q: What is ventricular fibrillation? ANSWER Chaotic, disorganized
electrical activity with no identifiable waves
22. Q: What is the treatment for ventricular fibrillation? ANSWER
Immediate defibrillation, CPR, and ACLS protocol
23. Q: What is asystole? ANSWER Complete absence of ventricular
electrical activity (flat line)
24. Q: What is the treatment for asystole? ANSWER CPR, epinephrine, and
identify/treat reversible causes
25. Q: What is first-degree AV block? ANSWER PR interval >0.20 seconds,
all P waves conducted
26. Q: What is second-degree AV block Type I (Mobitz I/Wenckebach)?
ANSWER Progressive PR interval prolongation until a QRS is dropped
27. Q: What is second-degree AV block Type II (Mobitz II)? ANSWER
Intermittent non-conducted P waves without PR prolongation
28. Q: Which type of second-degree AV block is more dangerous?
ANSWER Type II (Mobitz II) - higher risk of progressing to complete heart
block
, 29. Q: What is third-degree (complete) heart block? ANSWER No
relationship between P waves and QRS complexes; atria and ventricles beat
independently
30. Q: What is the treatment for symptomatic third-degree heart block?
ANSWER Temporary pacing followed by permanent pacemaker insertion
31. Q: What is supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)? ANSWER Rapid
regular rhythm originating above the ventricles, rate 150-250 bpm
32. Q: What is the first-line treatment for stable SVT? ANSWER Vagal
maneuvers (Valsalva, carotid massage)
33. Q: What medication is used if vagal maneuvers fail in SVT? ANSWER
Adenosine 6 mg rapid IV push, followed by 12 mg if needed
34. Q: What should you warn patients about before giving adenosine?
ANSWER Brief feeling of impending doom, chest discomfort, and potential
transient asystole
35. Q: What is a junctional rhythm? ANSWER Rhythm originating from the
AV junction, rate 40-60 bpm, absent or inverted P waves
36. Q: What is the significance of an idioventricular rhythm? ANSWER
Ventricular escape rhythm with rate 20-40 bpm; indicates failure of higher
pacemakers
37. Q: What does ST segment elevation indicate? ANSWER Myocardial
injury, typically seen in acute MI
38. Q: What does ST segment depression indicate? ANSWER Myocardial
ischemia or reciprocal changes
39. Q: What is a normal axis on ECG? ANSWER -30 to +90 degrees
40. Q: What leads show inferior wall MI? ANSWER Leads II, III, and aVF
41. Q: What leads show anterior wall MI? ANSWER Leads V3 and V4
42. Q: What leads show lateral wall MI? ANSWER Leads I, aVL, V5, and
V6
43. Q: What leads show septal wall MI? ANSWER Leads V1 and V2
44. Q: What are reciprocal changes on ECG? ANSWER ST depression in
leads opposite to ST elevation
