Caring for Clients with Cardiac Dysrhythmias Q&A

The nursing student asks the nurse to describe the difference between sinus rhythm and sinus bradycardia on the electrocardiogram strip. What is the nurse's best reply? a. "The only difference is the heart rate." b. "The P waves will be shaped differently." c. "The QRS complex will be smaller in sinus bradycardia." d. "The P-R interval will be prolonged in sinus bradycardia." All characteristics of sinus bradycardia are the same as those of normal sinus rhythm except for the rate, which will be below 60 in sinus bradycardia. The P waves will be shaped differently in other dysrhythmias. The QRS is the same voltage for sinus rhythms. The P-R interval is prolonged in aterioventricular blocks. A client is diagnosed with sinus bradycardia. The nurse knows that the client's atrial rate is at or below what number? 60 The nurse analyzes a 6-second electrocardiogram (ECG) tracing. The P waves and QRS complexes are regular. The PR interval is 0.18 seconds long, and the QRS complexes are 0.08 seconds long. The heart rate is calculated at 70 bpm. The nurse correctly identifies this rhythm as a. normal sinus rhythm. b. sinus tachycardia. c. junctional tachycardia. d. first-degree atrioventricular block. The electrocardiogram (ECG) tracing shows normal sinus rhythm (NSR). NSR has the following characteristics: ventricular and atrial rate: 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm) in the adult; ventricular and atrial rhythm: regular; and QRS shape and duration: usually normal, but may be regularly abnormal; P wave: normal and consistent shape, always in front of the QRS; PR interval: consistent interval between 0.12 and 0.20 seconds and P:QRS ratio: 1:1. The nursing educator is presenting a case study of an adult client who has abnormal ventricular depolarization. This pathologic change would be most evident in what component of the ECG? a. P wave b. T wave c. QRS complex d. U wav