Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 68%
Simulated
Passage / Scenario
A nurse is analyzing a client's electrocardiogram (ECG) strip and identifies the following information: Heart rate: 92/min, Rhythm: Irregular, P wave: Unable to identify, PR interval: Unable to measure, QRS duration: 0.10 seconds.A nurse is analyzing a client's electrocardiogram (ECG) strip and identifies the following information: Based upon this information, the nurse should interpret the client's rhythm as indicating which of the following?
Correct answer
B
Rationale
The correct answer is B: Atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is characterized by irregular, rapid disorganized electrical activity in the atria, leading to an irregular ventricular response. In the ECG strip, absence of P waves and presence of irregularly irregular QRS complexes suggest atrial fibrillation. The other choices can be ruled out based on specific ECG findings: A) Supraventricular tachycardia would show regular narrow QRS complexes, B) Sinus bradycardia would show normal P waves and QRS complexes, and D) First-degree heart block would show prolonged PR interval.