When the nurse enters the room of a male client who was admitted for a fractured femur, his cardiac monitor displays a normal sinus rhythm (NSR), but he has no spontaneous respirations and his carotid pulse is not palpable. Which intervention should the nurse implement?

The correct answer is choice D: Begin chest compressions at 100/minute. Choice A rationale: Observing for swelling at the fracture site is not immediately relevant in this emergency situation. The priority is to address the lack of pulse and respiration. Choice B rationale: Analyzing the cardiac rhythm in another lead is unnecessary when the patient has no pulse and is not breathing. Immediate life-saving measures are required. Choice C rationale: Obtaining a 12-lead electrocardiogram is not the priority in this scenario. The patient needs immediate resuscitation efforts. Choice D rationale: Beginning chest compressions at 100/minute is the correct intervention. The absence of a carotid pulse and spontaneous respirations indicates cardiac arrest, and chest compressions are essential to maintain circulation and oxygenation until further help arrives.