Question

A patient who has been successfully resuscitated after developing ventricular fibrillation asks the nurse about what happened. The most appropriate response by the nurse is,

a. "You almost died, but we were able to save you with electrical therapy."
b. "You had an episode of some cardiac dysrhythmias that are common after a heart attack."
c. "You had a serious abnormal heart rhythm, which treatment was able to reverse."
d. "Your heart stopped beating, and we shocked you to get it started again."

Answer 1

The nurse should respond to the patient by explaining that they had a serious abnormal heart rhythm, which was successfully reversed with treatment.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most appropriate response by the nurse is c. 'You had a serious abnormal heart rhythm, which treatment was able to reverse.' Ventricular fibrillation is a serious condition in which the ventricles of the heart beat in a wild, uncontrolled manner, preventing the heart from pumping effectively. It is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment, such as defibrillation. Defibrillation uses electrical therapy to shock the heart and restore a normal rhythm. By explaining that the patient had a serious abnormal heart rhythm that was successfully treated, the nurse provides accurate and reassuring information to the patient.