The nurse notices ventricular tachycardia on the heart monitor. When the patient is assessed, the patient is found to be unresponsive with no pulse. The nurse should:

A. Pulseless ventricular tachycardia is a life-threatening cardiac arrest rhythm. The immediate priority is high-quality CPR and activation of the advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) protocol, including defibrillation as soon as possible. Early initiation of CPR and defibrillation significantly improves survival rates. B. While antiarrhythmic medications like amiodarone or lidocaine may be used during ACLS, they are secondary interventions. The immediate priority for pulseless VT is CPR and defibrillation, not medication administration first. C. Pulseless VT is not benign; it is a medical emergency. Ignoring it would result in death within minutes due to lack of cardiac output. D. Synchronized cardioversion is used for unstable VT with a pulse, not for pulseless VT. In pulseless VT, unsynchronized defibrillation is required, and CPR should be initiated immediately.