A patient is scheduled for catheter ablation therapy.

When describing this procedure to the patient’s family, what aspect of the treatment should the nurse address?

Choice A rationale:

While it's important to assess for potential causative factors of premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), such as caffeine intake, it's not the immediate priority in this scenario.

The nurse's primary focus should be on assessing the patient's hemodynamic stability and oxygenation status, as frequent PVCs can compromise cardiac function and lead to serious complications.

Assessment of causative factors can be done subsequently, once the patient's immediate physiological needs have been addressed.

Choice B rationale:

The patient's subjective experience of palpitations or fluttering is valuable information, but it doesn't provide objective data about their cardiovascular status.

The nurse needs to prioritize objective assessment of vital signs, such as blood pressure and oxygen saturation, to evaluate the patient's hemodynamic stability and oxygenation.

Subjective symptoms can be further explored after obtaining objective data.

Choice D rationale:

Precipitating factors, such as infection, can contribute to PVCs, but they are not the immediate priority in this case.

The nurse's focus should be on assessing the patient's current cardiovascular status and ensuring their stability.

Investigation of potential precipitating factors can be done later, as part of a comprehensive assessment and management plan.

Choice C rationale:

Blood pressure and oxygen saturation are the most crucial parameters to assess in a patient with frequent PVCs.

Here's why:

Blood pressure: PVCs can disrupt the normal rhythm of the heart, potentially leading to a decrease in cardiac output and hypotension.

Hypotension can compromise perfusion to vital organs, such as the brain and kidneys, and can be a sign of hemodynamic instability.

Therefore, it's essential to monitor the patient's blood pressure closely.

Oxygen saturation: PVCs can also impair the heart's ability to pump blood effectively, which can lead to decreased oxygen delivery to the tissues.

This can result in hypoxemia, which can further worsen cardiac function and cause other complications.

Monitoring oxygen saturation using pulse oximetry is crucial to ensure adequate oxygenation.

Choice A rationale:

Blocking impulse transmission to the AV node is not the primary function of an ICD. This is typically achieved through medications such as beta blockers or calcium channel blockers, or through a procedure called AV node ablation.

While ICDs can sometimes have a secondary effect of slowing AV node conduction, their primary purpose is to actively monitor heart rhythm and deliver electrical shocks when necessary to restore normal rhythm.

Choice B rationale:

Assuming the function of the SA node is not the primary function of an ICD. The SA node, located in the right atrium, is the natural pacemaker of the heart, responsible for initiating electrical impulses that trigger each heartbeat.

While ICDs can sometimes pace the heart if the SA node is not functioning properly, their primary purpose is to intervene when life-threatening arrhythmias occur, rather than to continuously regulate heart rate.

Choice C rationale:

Triggering electrical impulses to the heart is the core function of an ICD. It continuously monitors heart rhythm and can deliver electrical shocks to restore normal rhythm when it detects potentially dangerous arrhythmias, such as ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation.

These shocks are designed to interrupt chaotic electrical activity in the heart and allow the natural pacemaker to regain control, preventing cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac death.

Choice D rationale:

Increasing ventricular conduction is not the primary function of an ICD. In fact, in some cases, ICDs may actually slow down ventricular conduction to prevent certain types of arrhythmias.

Medications or procedures such as cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) are specifically designed to improve ventricular conduction in patients with heart failure.