NCLEX RN Practice Question

The correct answer is an absence of a palpable pulse matching the pacemaker rate, as this indicates the pacemaker may not be effectively responding and capturing the heart's electrical activity. A pacemaker should generate electrical impulses that result in heart contractions, and this is confirmed by matching the pulse to the pacemaker's programmed rate.

Other options like mild redness at the insertion site may indicate normal inflammatory response or expected healing, but they don't require immediate intervention unless signs of infection are prominent. Similarly, complaints of fatigue shortly after implantation might occur due to the client's adjustment to the device, but it typically doesn't warrant immediate action unless symptoms are severe.