If a pediatric patient presents with a heart rate less than 60 bpm, what should be the immediate action?

In pediatric patients, a heart rate under 60 beats per minute is indicative of bradycardia, which can be a sign of significant underlying issues, such as inadequate perfusion or shock. In such cases, providing immediate intervention is critical.

Performing CPR is the appropriate immediate response because it helps to maintain blood flow and oxygen delivery to vital organs when the heart rate is critically low. The guidelines stress that for infants and children, when bradycardia is accompanied by signs of poor perfusion or altered mental status, chest compressions should be initiated right away. This action not only helps in prolonging the time for further medical interventions to be put into place but is also life-saving.

Other options, like administering medication or monitoring the patient closely, could be necessary following immediate stabilization, but they should not take precedence over CPR when the patient's condition is life-threatening due to poor heart rate. Requesting additional assistance might be appropriate as part of a broader response, but it still must come after the immediate life-saving measures are taken. Thus, performing CPR is the essential action to initiate in response to a significant bradycardic event in a pediatric patient.