Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse (CPEN) Practice Exam

How should you respond if a child presents with unstable cardiac rhythm?

1. Monitor continuously

2. Use electrical methods like defibrillation

3. Administer oxygen immediately

4. Consult a cardiologist

The correct answer is: Use electrical methods like defibrillation

When a child presents with an unstable cardiac rhythm, the appropriate response is to use electrical methods such as defibrillation. Unstable cardiac rhythms can lead to serious complications, including decreased cardiac output and loss of consciousness, making it imperative to restore a normal heart rhythm promptly. Defibrillation is crucial in cases of life-threatening arrhythmias, such as ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia, as it delivers a therapeutic dose of electrical energy to the heart, allowing it to reset and ideally revert to a normal rhythm. This immediate intervention can be life-saving and is a critical step in managing arrythmias effectively. While continuous monitoring, administering oxygen, and consulting a cardiologist may play a role in the overall care for a child with cardiac issues, they do not address the immediate need to correct an unstable rhythm. Monitoring is essential but does not contribute to resolving the instability, oxygen may help with overall tissue oxygenation but not rhythm stabilization, and while consulting a cardiologist is important for ongoing care, it may not provide the urgent intervention needed in cases of unstable rhythms.