Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 94%
Simulated
A client with heart failure (HF) is waiting in the preoperative area for a scheduled procedure and tells the nurse, 'My heart feels like it is beating too fast and I feel faint.' After initiating a call for an electrocardiogram (ECG), which assessment data is most important for the nurse to obtain?
Correct answer
The rhythm of the apical pulse is critical to identify possible arrhythmias causing palpitations and faintness.