A nurse is caring for a client with the six second telemetry strip below. The nurse anticipates the emergency response team will administer which medication?

A. Atropine: The telemetry strip shows sinus bradycardia, indicated by a regular rhythm with a rate below 60 beats per minute and normal P waves preceding each QRS complex. Atropine is the first-line medication for symptomatic bradycardia because it blocks vagal stimulation of the heart, increasing the heart rate and improving perfusion. B. Magnesium: Magnesium is primarily used to treat torsades de pointes, a specific form of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, and is not indicated for sinus bradycardia. Administering magnesium in bradycardia would not address the underlying slowed conduction. C. Adenosine: Adenosine is used to terminate paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) by transiently blocking AV nodal conduction. It is not appropriate for bradycardia, as it can further decrease heart rate or cause transient asystole. D. Epinephrine: Epinephrine is used in advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) for cardiac arrest or severe bradycardia unresponsive to atropine. While it can increase heart rate and contractility, atropine is the first-line agent for symptomatic sinus bradycardia before initiating epinephrine.