Dysrhythmia NCLEX Questions with Verified Answers Rated A
You are the nurse working on the telemetry unit and you
have finally gotten 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.
Answer: D. A pulse would be assessed for first. Then the
The medical team advances together into the room and
patient will be defibrillized and chest compressions will
finds them unconscious. What is priority action by the
begin immediately.
nurse?
A) Prepare to administer adenosine to the patient
B) Begin chest compressions
C) Prepare for defibrillation
D) Check for a pulse
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? Answer: C. Anemia can contribute to sinus tachycardia.
a) K 3.0
b) Ca 10.5
c) Hgb 9
d) Magnesium 2.1
The patient who has recently been experiencing runs of
ventricular tachycardia suddenly loses consciousness. The
patient is defibrillated, and the rate returns as the follow- Answer: A. Following defibrillation, CPR is immediately
ing. What should the nurse do first? initiated if a perfusable rhythm is not initiated. The client
A) Begin compressions may need to be shocked again, but chest compressions
B) Shock the client again immediately must begin first.
C) Prepare for intubation
D) Administer adenosine
A patient with cardiomyopathy has been given an ICD.
Answer: B. Antiarrhythmic medications are prescribed with
Which of the following medications would the nurse ex-
the use of an ICD in order to prevent the tachycardic (or
pect to see in the MAR for this patient?
other deadly arrhythmia) from occurring in the first place.
A) Warfarin
,Dysrhythmia NCLEX Questions with Verified Answers Rated A
B) Cardizem
This makes sure that the ICD is used only when absolutely
C) Nitroglycerin
necessary.
D) Digoxin
The patient with a history of hypertension and diabetes
has the following rhythm strip. The patient's vitals are as Answer: B. Atrial flutter places the client at high risk for
follows: BP 145/89, HR 90, SpO2 95%, RR 19. Which of the development of clot formation in the atria. Because the
following does the nurse expect to do at this time? client is stable at this time, cardioversion or adenosine
a) Prepare the client for cardioversion STAT would not be performed at this time. Before cardioversion
b) Begin administering anticoagulants can occur in a patient, anticoagulant therapy should be
c) Grab the crash cart for administration of adenosine begun at least 48 hours beforehand if possible.
d) Teach the client about possibility of pacemaker instal-
lation
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 Answer: A, B, and D. Adenosine is administered as a very
room? quick IV push. The physician must be present in the room
a) Physician and the crash cart must be on hand. An ekg monitor
b) Crash cart should be in the room to monitor the ettectiveness of the
c) IV pump medication.
d) EKG monitor
e) Lidocaine
Answer: B. This finding would be expected upon adminis-
The nurse has just administered adenosine via IV push tration of adenosine. The rhythm should then begin again
and sees the following rhythm on the monitor. What is the in some other rhythm, hopefully normal sinus rhythm. It
nurse's priority intervention? would be important to document the exact time of this
change and continue to monitor the change back to NSR.
a) Apply conductive gel and defibrillate the patient
If this change does not occur, or if another rhythm is
b) Document the findings and continue to monitor
produced, appropriate action would then be taken based
c) Administer another mg of the medication
on the result.
d) Begin chest compressions
, Dysrhythmia NCLEX Questions with Verified Answers Rated A
You, the nurse, note the following rhythm on the EKG
monitor for a patient named billy. What is the first thing
Answer: B. With SVT (Supraventricular tachycardia), the
the nurse should do?
first thing to do would be to instruct the pt. to perform the
a) Check for a pulse
Valsalva maneuver by bearing down.
b) Tell Billy to try to poop
c) Prepare to defibrillate billy
d) Prepare to administer Amiodorone
A group of nursing students are discussing atrial flutter.
Answer(s): 2, 3
These students recognize that which of the following are
seen with atrial flutter? Select all that apply:
The ATRIAL rate is 220-300 bpm. Ventricular is about
1) Ventricular rate of 220-300 bpm.
75-150. The rhythm is regular, with the P wave appearing
2) Regular rhythm
as little flutter or a "saw tooth pattern". The PR interval
3) Saw-tooth pattern
is not measurable r/t this saw-tooth P wave. The QRS is
4) Measurable PR interval
normal.
5) Long QRS interval
A nursing student is aware that which of the following is Answer: 2)
the treatment for unstable atrial flutter?
1) Adenosine (Adenocard) 6 mg rapid IVP. Cardioversion is used if the patient is unstable. Anticoagu-
2) Cardioversion with adjacent Heparin therapy lants are used if the arrhythmia has stuck around for 48 hr
3) Defibrillation STAT followed by CPR. +. Adenosine may be used with a narrow QRS and regular
4) Altemose 3 mg IVP over 1-2 seconds. RR interval. I made up Altemose.
A nurse working on a CVT unit receives report from day
shift. After receiving report, which patient should the
Answer: 2)
nurse see first?
1) A 23-year-old professional tennis player with a HR of 47
Patients with a-fib are at risk for pulmonary and systemic
bpm.
emboli, and new onset of confusion may indicate a stroke
2) A 69-year-old male with atrial fibrillation who has new
in this patient. Patients with atrial flutter may feel more
onset confusion.
tired some days than others.
3) A 72-year-old female with atrial flutter who reports
feeling unusually tired today and yesterday.
You are the nurse working on the telemetry unit and you
have finally gotten 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.
Answer: D. A pulse would be assessed for first. Then the
The medical team advances together into the room and
patient will be defibrillized and chest compressions will
finds them unconscious. What is priority action by the
begin immediately.
nurse?
A) Prepare to administer adenosine to the patient
B) Begin chest compressions
C) Prepare for defibrillation
D) Check for a pulse
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? Answer: C. Anemia can contribute to sinus tachycardia.
a) K 3.0
b) Ca 10.5
c) Hgb 9
d) Magnesium 2.1
The patient who has recently been experiencing runs of
ventricular tachycardia suddenly loses consciousness. The
patient is defibrillated, and the rate returns as the follow- Answer: A. Following defibrillation, CPR is immediately
ing. What should the nurse do first? initiated if a perfusable rhythm is not initiated. The client
A) Begin compressions may need to be shocked again, but chest compressions
B) Shock the client again immediately must begin first.
C) Prepare for intubation
D) Administer adenosine
A patient with cardiomyopathy has been given an ICD.
Answer: B. Antiarrhythmic medications are prescribed with
Which of the following medications would the nurse ex-
the use of an ICD in order to prevent the tachycardic (or
pect to see in the MAR for this patient?
other deadly arrhythmia) from occurring in the first place.
A) Warfarin
,Dysrhythmia NCLEX Questions with Verified Answers Rated A
B) Cardizem
This makes sure that the ICD is used only when absolutely
C) Nitroglycerin
necessary.
D) Digoxin
The patient with a history of hypertension and diabetes
has the following rhythm strip. The patient's vitals are as Answer: B. Atrial flutter places the client at high risk for
follows: BP 145/89, HR 90, SpO2 95%, RR 19. Which of the development of clot formation in the atria. Because the
following does the nurse expect to do at this time? client is stable at this time, cardioversion or adenosine
a) Prepare the client for cardioversion STAT would not be performed at this time. Before cardioversion
b) Begin administering anticoagulants can occur in a patient, anticoagulant therapy should be
c) Grab the crash cart for administration of adenosine begun at least 48 hours beforehand if possible.
d) Teach the client about possibility of pacemaker instal-
lation
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 Answer: A, B, and D. Adenosine is administered as a very
room? quick IV push. The physician must be present in the room
a) Physician and the crash cart must be on hand. An ekg monitor
b) Crash cart should be in the room to monitor the ettectiveness of the
c) IV pump medication.
d) EKG monitor
e) Lidocaine
Answer: B. This finding would be expected upon adminis-
The nurse has just administered adenosine via IV push tration of adenosine. The rhythm should then begin again
and sees the following rhythm on the monitor. What is the in some other rhythm, hopefully normal sinus rhythm. It
nurse's priority intervention? would be important to document the exact time of this
change and continue to monitor the change back to NSR.
a) Apply conductive gel and defibrillate the patient
If this change does not occur, or if another rhythm is
b) Document the findings and continue to monitor
produced, appropriate action would then be taken based
c) Administer another mg of the medication
on the result.
d) Begin chest compressions
, Dysrhythmia NCLEX Questions with Verified Answers Rated A
You, the nurse, note the following rhythm on the EKG
monitor for a patient named billy. What is the first thing
Answer: B. With SVT (Supraventricular tachycardia), the
the nurse should do?
first thing to do would be to instruct the pt. to perform the
a) Check for a pulse
Valsalva maneuver by bearing down.
b) Tell Billy to try to poop
c) Prepare to defibrillate billy
d) Prepare to administer Amiodorone
A group of nursing students are discussing atrial flutter.
Answer(s): 2, 3
These students recognize that which of the following are
seen with atrial flutter? Select all that apply:
The ATRIAL rate is 220-300 bpm. Ventricular is about
1) Ventricular rate of 220-300 bpm.
75-150. The rhythm is regular, with the P wave appearing
2) Regular rhythm
as little flutter or a "saw tooth pattern". The PR interval
3) Saw-tooth pattern
is not measurable r/t this saw-tooth P wave. The QRS is
4) Measurable PR interval
normal.
5) Long QRS interval
A nursing student is aware that which of the following is Answer: 2)
the treatment for unstable atrial flutter?
1) Adenosine (Adenocard) 6 mg rapid IVP. Cardioversion is used if the patient is unstable. Anticoagu-
2) Cardioversion with adjacent Heparin therapy lants are used if the arrhythmia has stuck around for 48 hr
3) Defibrillation STAT followed by CPR. +. Adenosine may be used with a narrow QRS and regular
4) Altemose 3 mg IVP over 1-2 seconds. RR interval. I made up Altemose.
A nurse working on a CVT unit receives report from day
shift. After receiving report, which patient should the
Answer: 2)
nurse see first?
1) A 23-year-old professional tennis player with a HR of 47
Patients with a-fib are at risk for pulmonary and systemic
bpm.
emboli, and new onset of confusion may indicate a stroke
2) A 69-year-old male with atrial fibrillation who has new
in this patient. Patients with atrial flutter may feel more
onset confusion.
tired some days than others.
3) A 72-year-old female with atrial flutter who reports
feeling unusually tired today and yesterday.
