Question

A pediatric nurse finds a hospitalized child unresponsive. A quick assessment reveals that the child is not breathing and does not have a pulse. The nurse initiates cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). How many chest compressions per minute does the nurse deliver?

a) 60-80
b) 100-120
c) 140-160
d) 180-200

Answer 1

In response to an unresponsive child without a pulse, a nurse should perform CPR with 100 to 120 chest compressions per minute to maintain blood circulation and prevent brain damage.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a pediatric nurse initiates cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on an unresponsive child who is not breathing and does not have a pulse, the nurse needs to deliver chest compressions at a specific rate. According to current standards, the nurse should deliver 100 to 120 chest compressions per minute. This rate is important to maintain blood circulation, particularly to the brain, to prevent irreversible damage and neuron death due to lack of blood flow. The nurse should strive for high-quality chest compressions, with a compression depth of at least 5 cm, to manually compress the blood within the heart and push it into the pulmonary and systemic circuits.