Prolonged pulse check
NCLEX-RN glossary · Physiological Adaptation
Definition
An assessment delay exceeding 10 seconds during an emergency. This failure to quickly identify the absence of a pulse is a critical safety violation in basic life support.
Prolonged pulse check in plain English
Directly reduces the chest-compression fraction and coronary perfusion, significantly decreasing the probability of client survival in cardiac arrest. The main trap is delaying the start of life-saving chest compressions to 'confirm' a pulse in a client who is already unresponsive and not breathing.
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