While assessing a school-age child, the nurse notices a regular-irregular heartbeat. The nurse listens carefully and notes that the heart rate increases on inspiration and decreases on expiration. Which nursing action is appropriate based on these data?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The regular-irregular heartbeat with changes in heart rate during inspiration and expiration is likely a sinus arrhythmia, which can be a normal finding in children. Therefore, the nurse should record the finding as normal rather than jumping to more invasive or unnecessary interventions. If there were any other concerning symptoms or the irregularity persisted beyond a few respiratory cycles, further investigation may be warranted. However, in the absence of other red flags, recording the observation as normal is appropriate.

While Assessing a School-Age Child, the Nurse Notices a Regular-Irregular