The nurse is caring for a patient in the critical care unit and notes the patient in the rhythm below. If the patient is unresponsive and pulseless, what should the nurse do?

A. VF is not benign, it is uniformly fatal without immediate intervention. Ignoring VF = certain death. B. Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is a cardiac arrest rhythm. Defibrillation is the most critical and time-sensitive intervention. It depolarizes the myocardium, allowing the SA node to regain control. The chance of survival decreases by 7–10% for every minute defibrillation is delayed. CPR should also be initiated immediately until the defibrillator is available, but defibrillation is the first definitive treatment. C. Antiarrhythmics (amiodarone/lidocaine) are used after defibrillation attempts and CPR if VF persists. They are not the first step, because medications cannot restore a perfusing rhythm as fast as defibrillation. D. Cardioversion delivers a synchronized shock. VF has no organized electrical activity to synchronize with, so cardioversion is ineffective and inappropriate. Only unsynchronized defibrillation is correct.