The nurse obtains a monitor strip on a patient admitted to the coronary care unit with a myocardial infarction and makes the following analysis: P wave not apparent; ventricular rate 162, R-R interval regular; PR interval not measurable; and QRS complex wide and distorted, QRS duration 0.18 second. The nurse interprets the patient's cardiac rhythm as

Question

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The absence of P waves, wide QRS, rate >150, and the regularity of the rhythm indicate ventricular tachycardia. Atrial fibrillation is grossly irregular, has a narrow QRS configuration, and has fibrillatory P waves. Sinus tachycardia has P waves. Ventricular fibrillation is irregular and does not have a consistent QRS duration.

The Nurse Obtains a Monitor Strip on a Patient Admitted