Reduction of Risk PotentialQuestion 754 of 2368
The cardiac monitor alarms and displays ventricular tachycardia in a client who is awake, talking, and brushing their teeth. What should the nurse do first?
- Check the client and the electrode contact to see if the display is accurate
- Call the emergency team and begin chest compressions on the client right away
- Prepare the defibrillator to deliver an immediate shock to the client
- Administer an intravenous antidysrhythmic medication to treat the rhythm
Show answer
Correct answer: Check the client and the electrode contact to see if the display is accurate
Movement or poor electrode contact causes artifact that the monitor may read as ventricular beats. Observing the client confirms whether the rhythm is real.
Source: Nursing Advanced Skills (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2023), Interpret Basic ECG: Artifact. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Practice the topic "Reduction of Risk Potential"Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026