Question

The AED has delivered a shock to an elderly male in cardiac arrest. Following 2 minutes of CPR, you re-analyze the patient's cardiac rhythm and receive a 'no shock advised' message. After further resuscitation, you restore a palpable carotid pulse. Your next action should be to ________.

1) Continue CPR
2) Administer medication
3) Perform a defibrillation
4) Monitor the patient's vital signs

Answer 1

Once a palpable carotid pulse is restored after the use of an AED and CPR, the immediate next step is to monitor the patient's vital signs to assess and ensure the patient's stability after the return of spontaneous circulation.

Step-by-step explanation:

After an AED has delivered a shock to an elderly male in cardiac arrest and you've performed CPR for 2 minutes with a subsequent 'no shock advised' message, and after further resuscitation, you now detect a palpable carotid pulse. Your next action should be to monitor the patient's vital signs. It's essential in post-resuscitation care to assess and continuously monitor the patient's vital signs to ensure stability, as the recovery of a pulse indicates the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Monitoring should include checking the patient's breathing, pulse, blood pressure, and if possible, oxygen saturation and level of consciousness to determine the next steps in their care. As the situation has moved from an active resuscitation to stabilization, it will not be appropriate to continue CPR, administer medication, or perform a defibrillation unless the patient's condition changes and warrants such an intervention.