PALS POST TEST EXAMINATION TEST 2026
COMPLETE QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS GRADED A+
⩥ You are assessing a 6-year-old child who appears unconscious after
striking his head on a concrete step. You pinch the patient's chest and the
patient grabs your hand. You would document this response as:
Decerebrate posturing
Decorticate posturing
Withdrawal from a painful stimulus
Localization of a painful stimulus. Answer: Localization of a painful
stimulus
⩥ You are caring for an 8-year-old child who was struck by a car. The
child is alert, very anxious, and in respiratory distress. The child is
receiving high-flow oxygen by face mask, has a respiratory rate of
60/min, the heart rate is 150/min, systolic blood pressure is 70 mm Hg,
and a SpO2 of 86% and falling. Breath sounds and chest rise are absent
over the right chest. Which of the following is the most likely cause of
this child's distress?
Tension Pneumothorax
Cardiac temponade
,Severe hypovolemia
Cardiac asthma. Answer: Tension Pneumothorax
⩥ You are treating a 10-year-old victim of multisystem trauma. The
child is very anxious and confused. The respiratory rate is 44/min and
unlabored. the pulse is rapid and weak. Capillary refill is delayed. High-
flow oxygen and an intravenous line are in place. The most appropriate
initial fluid for rapid volume expansion is:
10% dextrose in water
5% dextrose in Ringer's lactate
5% dextrose in normal saline
Normal saline or Ringer's lactate. Answer: Normal saline or Ringer's
lactate
⩥ When monitoring the quality of chest compressions during a
resuscitation, you should ensure that providers are:
Pushing hard - ensure that the chest is compressed 3/4 of the anterior-
posterior diameter
Pushing fast - compress at a rate of 150/min
Allowing complete recoil - let the chest return to its original position
between compressions
,Minimizing interruptions - do not permit interruptions for more than 1
minute. Answer: Allowing complete recoil - let the chest return to its
original position between compressions
⩥ You are treating an 8-year-old with ventricular tachycardia (VT) with
pulses and adequate perfusion. You attempted synchronized
cardioversion without success. While seeking expert consultation, it
would be most appropriate to:
Administer a loading dose of milrinone
Initiate overdrive pacing transcutaneously
Consider possible metabolic and toxicologic causes
Deliver an unsynchronized shock. Answer: Consider possible metabolic
and toxicologic causes
⩥ You are caring for a patient who developed a tension pneumothorax
after several hours of positive-pressure ventilation. Which of the
following would be the most appropriate site for needle decompression?
Over the third rib (ie, second intercostal space) at the mid-clavicular line
Under the eighth rib at the midaxillary line
Over the fifth rib at the sternal border
Under the sixth rib at the midclavicular line. Answer: Over the third rib
(ie, second intercostal space) at the mid-clavicular line
, ⩥ You are initiating treatment for a child with septic shock and
hypotension. While administering high-flow oxygen, you determine that
the child's respirations are adequate and SpO2 is 100%. You have just
established vascular access and obtained blood samples. Which of the
following is the next most appropriate therapy to support systemic
perfusion?
Administer repeated fluid boluses of isotonic colloidge
Administer repeated fluid boluses of isotonic crystalloid
Begin immediate dopamine infusion
Begin immediate dobutamine infusion. Answer: Administer repeated
fluid boluses of isotonic crystalloid
⩥ You are caring for a 5-year-old patient with supraventricular
tachycardia (SVT) (heart rate is 220/min). The child is lethargic. The
skin is pale and cool with delayed capillary refill. Distal pulses are not
palpable. Which of the following would be the best treatment to provide
without delay?
Provide synchronized cardioversion at 0.5 to 1 J/kg
Place cold packs on the distal upper and lower extremities
Ask the child to blow through a small straw
Exert light pressure on the eyes bilaterally. Answer: Provide
synchronized cardioversion at 0.5 to 1 J/kg
COMPLETE QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS GRADED A+
⩥ You are assessing a 6-year-old child who appears unconscious after
striking his head on a concrete step. You pinch the patient's chest and the
patient grabs your hand. You would document this response as:
Decerebrate posturing
Decorticate posturing
Withdrawal from a painful stimulus
Localization of a painful stimulus. Answer: Localization of a painful
stimulus
⩥ You are caring for an 8-year-old child who was struck by a car. The
child is alert, very anxious, and in respiratory distress. The child is
receiving high-flow oxygen by face mask, has a respiratory rate of
60/min, the heart rate is 150/min, systolic blood pressure is 70 mm Hg,
and a SpO2 of 86% and falling. Breath sounds and chest rise are absent
over the right chest. Which of the following is the most likely cause of
this child's distress?
Tension Pneumothorax
Cardiac temponade
,Severe hypovolemia
Cardiac asthma. Answer: Tension Pneumothorax
⩥ You are treating a 10-year-old victim of multisystem trauma. The
child is very anxious and confused. The respiratory rate is 44/min and
unlabored. the pulse is rapid and weak. Capillary refill is delayed. High-
flow oxygen and an intravenous line are in place. The most appropriate
initial fluid for rapid volume expansion is:
10% dextrose in water
5% dextrose in Ringer's lactate
5% dextrose in normal saline
Normal saline or Ringer's lactate. Answer: Normal saline or Ringer's
lactate
⩥ When monitoring the quality of chest compressions during a
resuscitation, you should ensure that providers are:
Pushing hard - ensure that the chest is compressed 3/4 of the anterior-
posterior diameter
Pushing fast - compress at a rate of 150/min
Allowing complete recoil - let the chest return to its original position
between compressions
,Minimizing interruptions - do not permit interruptions for more than 1
minute. Answer: Allowing complete recoil - let the chest return to its
original position between compressions
⩥ You are treating an 8-year-old with ventricular tachycardia (VT) with
pulses and adequate perfusion. You attempted synchronized
cardioversion without success. While seeking expert consultation, it
would be most appropriate to:
Administer a loading dose of milrinone
Initiate overdrive pacing transcutaneously
Consider possible metabolic and toxicologic causes
Deliver an unsynchronized shock. Answer: Consider possible metabolic
and toxicologic causes
⩥ You are caring for a patient who developed a tension pneumothorax
after several hours of positive-pressure ventilation. Which of the
following would be the most appropriate site for needle decompression?
Over the third rib (ie, second intercostal space) at the mid-clavicular line
Under the eighth rib at the midaxillary line
Over the fifth rib at the sternal border
Under the sixth rib at the midclavicular line. Answer: Over the third rib
(ie, second intercostal space) at the mid-clavicular line
, ⩥ You are initiating treatment for a child with septic shock and
hypotension. While administering high-flow oxygen, you determine that
the child's respirations are adequate and SpO2 is 100%. You have just
established vascular access and obtained blood samples. Which of the
following is the next most appropriate therapy to support systemic
perfusion?
Administer repeated fluid boluses of isotonic colloidge
Administer repeated fluid boluses of isotonic crystalloid
Begin immediate dopamine infusion
Begin immediate dobutamine infusion. Answer: Administer repeated
fluid boluses of isotonic crystalloid
⩥ You are caring for a 5-year-old patient with supraventricular
tachycardia (SVT) (heart rate is 220/min). The child is lethargic. The
skin is pale and cool with delayed capillary refill. Distal pulses are not
palpable. Which of the following would be the best treatment to provide
without delay?
Provide synchronized cardioversion at 0.5 to 1 J/kg
Place cold packs on the distal upper and lower extremities
Ask the child to blow through a small straw
Exert light pressure on the eyes bilaterally. Answer: Provide
synchronized cardioversion at 0.5 to 1 J/kg
