Question

The nurse is watching the cardiac monitor and notices that the rhythm suddenly changes. No P waves; instead, the monitor screen shows there are fibrillatory waves before each QRS complex. The nurse interprets that the client is experiencing which rhythm?

A. A Fib
B. Sinus Tachycardia
C.Ventricular fib
D. Ventricular tachycardia

Answer 1

The absence of P waves and presence of fibrillatory waves before each QRS complex on a cardiac monitor suggests the client is experiencing atrial fibrillation (A Fib), a condition characterized by an irregular and often rapid heart rate.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a nurse observes the absence of P waves and instead sees fibrillatory waves before each QRS complex on a cardiac monitor, this is indicative of atrial fibrillation (A Fib). In atrial fibrillation, the electrical activity of the atria is disorganized, causing the atria to quiver rather than contract effectively. This results in a loss of the distinct P waves normally seen on an ECG, replaced by fibrillatory waves. As a consequence of A Fib, the heart rate can become irregularly irregular and often increases, which can be seen in the ECG by the irregular and rapid sequence of the QRS complexes.