Two nurses simultaneously assess apical and radial pulses in a client with irregular palpitations. Click the 15-second interval with the largest difference between heartbeats and peripheral pulses.

C. C has 20 apical beats but only 16 radial pulses, a difference of four.

Count corresponding events within each shared interval. A small delay between an apical beat and its radial pulse is expected and is not a missing pulse. C has the largest actual count difference; report the complete assessment rather than inferring a rhythm diagnosis from counts alone.

The observations are fictional teaching data. Apply the stated context; the selected feature does not by itself replace a complete bedside assessment.

Distinguish delayed peripheral arrival from an absent peripheral pulse.

Distinguish delayed peripheral arrival from an absent peripheral pulse.

A has matching counts of 18. B has 21 versus 20, a difference of one. D has 17 versus 15, a difference of two. Their lower or higher absolute rates do not exceed C’s difference of four.

• Apical-radial comparison with physiologic pulse delay — Distinguish delayed peripheral arrival from an absent peripheral pulse.
• Comparison with context — B has the fastest cardiac count, and D has the fewest peripheral pulses, but neither has the largest paired difference.