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Multiple Choice

Should a code be called for ventricular fibrillation?

Ventricular fibrillation is a pulseless, chaotic electrical activity in the ventricles that produces no effective heartbeat. It is a medical emergency where every moment counts, so the immediate response is to activate the code team to start CPR right away and deliver defibrillation as soon as possible. Since VF by definition has no usable pulse, there’s no benefit to waiting or assessing pulse first—you treat it as a code arrest immediately to maximize the chance of return of spontaneous circulation. The other options imply waiting for a pulse or vary by setting, but VF is a shockable, pulseless rhythm that requires rapid code activation, not conditional consideration.

Ventricular fibrillation is a pulseless, chaotic electrical activity in the ventricles that produces no effective heartbeat. It is a medical emergency where every moment counts, so the immediate response is to activate the code team to start CPR right away and deliver defibrillation as soon as possible. Since VF by definition has no usable pulse, there’s no benefit to waiting or assessing pulse first—you treat it as a code arrest immediately to maximize the chance of return of spontaneous circulation. The other options imply waiting for a pulse or vary by setting, but VF is a shockable, pulseless rhythm that requires rapid code activation, not conditional consideration.