Final answer:
The nurse should first check the patient's pulse when a continuous cardiac monitor fails to display QRS complexes, signaling no normal electrical activity. If the pulse is absent, immediate emergency measures must be taken, potentially including calling a code blue for cardiac arrest.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the monitor of a patient wearing a continuous cardiac monitor begins to alarm and fails to display any QRS complexes, indicating the absence of normal electrical heart activity, the nurse is watching should perform immediate interventions. The first and most critical step for the nurse to take is to check the patient's pulse. This is essential to determine if the patient has a palpable heartbeat and if there is effective blood circulation. If no pulse is found, the nurse should then proceed with urgent measures such as calling a code blue and preparing for resuscitation efforts.
Observing the monitor, if there is an abnormal electrical pattern or an increased frequency between the QRS complexes, one might expect a change in the heart rate (pulse). However, if there is a total lack of QRS complexes, this could be indicative of a life-threatening situation such as cardiac arrest, ventricular fibrillation, or asystole, where immediate medical intervention is necessary.