Get ready for NCLEX® success with today’s scenario: The nurse working in the urgent care clinic is caring for a client with sustained supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) and needs to anticipate particular subjective findings.
The nurse working in the urgent care clinic is caring for a client with sustained supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). Which subjective finding(s) should the nurse anticipate? Select all that apply.
A. Blood pressure of 90/58 mm Hg
B. Chest pain
C. Weakness
D. Heart rate of 200/min
E. Shortness of breath
F. Anxiety
G. Pruritus
Scroll down for the correct answer!
The correct answer to today’s NCLEX-RN® question is…
B. Chest pain
Rationale: Chest pain, or angina, is a subjective clinical finding associated with SVT.
C. Weakness
Rationale: Weakness is a subjective clinical finding associated with SVT.
E. Shortness of breath
Rationale: Shortness of breath is a subjective clinical finding associated with SVT.
F. Anxiety
Rationale: Anxiety is a subjective clinical finding associated with SVT.
Major Takeaway
Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) refers to tachyarrhythmia that originates from or above the atrioventricular node. Clients with SVT can have varied clinical manifestations depending on the duration of SVT and ventricular response rate. Clients with a non-sustained, slower ventricular response may be asymptomatic except for occasional palpitations. In contrast, with sustained, rapid ventricular response, clients often present with palpitations, chest pain, anxiety, weakness, shortness of breath, and syncope or hypotension. Objective findings refer to those that the nurse can observe and measure, such as vital signs, whereas subjective findings refer to those that the client reports, such as nausea or pain.

Incorrect Answer Explanations
A. Blood pressure of 90/58 mm Hg
Rationale: Hypotension is a clinical finding associated with SVT; however, this is an objective finding rather than a subjective finding.
D. Heart rate of 200/min
Rationale: Tachycardia is a clinical finding associated with SVT; however, this is an objective finding rather than a subjective finding.
G. Pruritus
Rationale: Pruritus, or itching, is not a clinical finding associated with SVT.

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