A nurse is caring for a client who reports heart palpitations. An ECG confirms the client is experiencing ventricular tachycardia (VT). The nurse should anticipate the need for taking which of the following actions?

Rationale: A. This is a long-term treatment for recurrent VT or other arrhythmias. It is not an immediate intervention for acute, unstable VT. B. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is performed only if the client is pulseless and unresponsive. While CPR may be necessary in cardiac arrest, it is not the first-line intervention for VT with a pulse. C. Synchronized cardioversion is used for hemodynamically stable VT with a pulse, but the term “elective” implies a planned procedure, not emergency management. D. For pulseless VT or VT causing severe instability (e.g., hypotension, altered mental status), defibrillation is the immediate lifesaving intervention. It delivers an unsynchronized shock to restore normal cardiac rhythm.