Question

The nurse is caring for a patient who is on a cardiac monitor. The nurse realizes that the sinus node is the pacemaker of the heart because it is:

a. the fastest pacemaker cell in the heart.
b. the only pacemaker cell in the heart.
c. the only cell that does not affect the cardiac cycle.
d. located in the left side of the heart.

Answer 1

The sinus node is the pacemaker of the heart because it initiates the sinus rhythm and has the highest inherent rate of depolarization. It is located in the superior and posterior walls of the right atrium.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse realizes that the sinus node is the pacemaker of the heart because it has the highest inherent rate of depolarization and initiates the sinus rhythm. The sinus rhythm is the normal electrical pattern followed by contraction of the heart. Located in the superior and posterior walls of the right atrium, the sinus node is responsible for establishing the normal cardiac rhythm.