American Red Cross ACLS Final
Examination Questions And Correct
Answers (Verified Answers) Plus
Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant
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1. A patient suddenly becomes unresponsive and is not breathing
normally. What is the immediate priority?
A. Obtain a 12-lead ECG
B. Establish IV access
C. Begin high-quality CPR
D. Administer amiodarone
Answer: C. Begin high-quality CPR
Rationale: An unresponsive patient who is not breathing normally
should be treated as having cardiac arrest. Immediate high-quality
CPR supports circulation while a defibrillator and other resuscitation
resources are obtained. Delaying compressions for an ECG, IV access,
or medication reduces the likelihood of successful resuscitation.
2. Which finding most strongly indicates cardiac arrest in an adult?
A. Severe hypertension
B. Unresponsiveness with absent or abnormal breathing
C. Mild respiratory distress
D. Palpitations with a pulse
Answer: B. Unresponsiveness with absent or abnormal breathing
,Rationale: Cardiac arrest is suspected when a person is unresponsive
and not breathing normally. Agonal gasps should not be considered
normal breathing. A healthcare professional should simultaneously
assess for a definite pulse, but CPR should not be delayed when a
pulse cannot be confidently identified rapidly.
3. What is the recommended compression rate during adult CPR?
A. 60–80 compressions/min
B. 80–90 compressions/min
C. 90–100 compressions/min
D. 100–120 compressions/min
Answer: D. 100–120 compressions/min
Rationale: Adult chest compressions should generally be delivered at a
rate of 100–120 per minute. This rate provides effective forward blood
flow while limiting excessive interruptions and excessively rapid
compressions that may reduce compression depth and filling.
4. What is the recommended adult chest-compression depth during
CPR?
A. At least 5 cm (2 inches)
B. 1 cm (0.5 inch)
C. 2 cm (0.75 inch)
D. 3 cm (1.25 inches)
Answer: A. At least 5 cm (2 inches)
Rationale: For adult cardiac arrest, compressions should be at least 5
cm, or approximately 2 inches, deep while avoiding excessive depth.
Adequate depth is necessary to generate sufficient intrathoracic
pressure and blood flow during CPR.
5. Which action helps maintain effective chest compressions?
,A. Pause after every 10 compressions
B. Keep the patient on a soft mattress
C. Compress only the upper sternum
D. Allow complete chest recoil after each compression
Answer: D. Allow complete chest recoil after each compression
Rationale: Complete chest recoil allows the heart to refill between
compressions and helps maintain venous return. Leaning on the chest
between compressions can reduce cardiac filling and decrease CPR
effectiveness.
6. An AED arrives while CPR is in progress. What should the team
do?
A. Continue CPR for another 10 minutes before using it
B. Apply the AED and follow its prompts while minimizing
interruptions
C. Give epinephrine before turning on the AED
D. Remove the patient from the resuscitation area
Answer: B. Apply the AED and follow its prompts while minimizing
interruptions
Rationale: Early defibrillation is critical for shockable cardiac arrest
rhythms such as ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular
tachycardia. The AED should be applied promptly, with interruptions
in compressions kept as short as possible.
7. Which rhythm is considered shockable during cardiac arrest?
A. Ventricular fibrillation
B. Asystole
C. Pulseless electrical activity
D. Sinus bradycardia
, Answer: A. Ventricular fibrillation
Rationale: Ventricular fibrillation is a shockable rhythm because an
electrical defibrillation shock may terminate the chaotic ventricular
activity and allow an organized rhythm to resume. Asystole and
pulseless electrical activity are treated with CPR, epinephrine, and
correction of reversible causes rather than defibrillation.
8. Which cardiac-arrest rhythm is not treated with defibrillation?
A. Ventricular fibrillation
B. Pulseless ventricular tachycardia
C. Asystole
D. Coarse ventricular fibrillation
Answer: C. Asystole
Rationale: Asystole represents absence of meaningful ventricular
electrical activity and is classified as a nonshockable rhythm.
Management focuses on high-quality CPR, epinephrine, and
identification and treatment of reversible causes while avoiding
unnecessary shocks.
9. During CPR, the monitor shows pulseless ventricular tachycardia.
What is the priority intervention?
A. Atropine
B. Adenosine
C. Synchronized cardioversion
D. Immediate unsynchronized defibrillation
Answer: D. Immediate unsynchronized defibrillation
Rationale: Pulseless ventricular tachycardia is a shockable cardiac-
arrest rhythm. An unsynchronized defibrillation shock is used because
Examination Questions And Correct
Answers (Verified Answers) Plus
Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant
Download Pdf
1. A patient suddenly becomes unresponsive and is not breathing
normally. What is the immediate priority?
A. Obtain a 12-lead ECG
B. Establish IV access
C. Begin high-quality CPR
D. Administer amiodarone
Answer: C. Begin high-quality CPR
Rationale: An unresponsive patient who is not breathing normally
should be treated as having cardiac arrest. Immediate high-quality
CPR supports circulation while a defibrillator and other resuscitation
resources are obtained. Delaying compressions for an ECG, IV access,
or medication reduces the likelihood of successful resuscitation.
2. Which finding most strongly indicates cardiac arrest in an adult?
A. Severe hypertension
B. Unresponsiveness with absent or abnormal breathing
C. Mild respiratory distress
D. Palpitations with a pulse
Answer: B. Unresponsiveness with absent or abnormal breathing
,Rationale: Cardiac arrest is suspected when a person is unresponsive
and not breathing normally. Agonal gasps should not be considered
normal breathing. A healthcare professional should simultaneously
assess for a definite pulse, but CPR should not be delayed when a
pulse cannot be confidently identified rapidly.
3. What is the recommended compression rate during adult CPR?
A. 60–80 compressions/min
B. 80–90 compressions/min
C. 90–100 compressions/min
D. 100–120 compressions/min
Answer: D. 100–120 compressions/min
Rationale: Adult chest compressions should generally be delivered at a
rate of 100–120 per minute. This rate provides effective forward blood
flow while limiting excessive interruptions and excessively rapid
compressions that may reduce compression depth and filling.
4. What is the recommended adult chest-compression depth during
CPR?
A. At least 5 cm (2 inches)
B. 1 cm (0.5 inch)
C. 2 cm (0.75 inch)
D. 3 cm (1.25 inches)
Answer: A. At least 5 cm (2 inches)
Rationale: For adult cardiac arrest, compressions should be at least 5
cm, or approximately 2 inches, deep while avoiding excessive depth.
Adequate depth is necessary to generate sufficient intrathoracic
pressure and blood flow during CPR.
5. Which action helps maintain effective chest compressions?
,A. Pause after every 10 compressions
B. Keep the patient on a soft mattress
C. Compress only the upper sternum
D. Allow complete chest recoil after each compression
Answer: D. Allow complete chest recoil after each compression
Rationale: Complete chest recoil allows the heart to refill between
compressions and helps maintain venous return. Leaning on the chest
between compressions can reduce cardiac filling and decrease CPR
effectiveness.
6. An AED arrives while CPR is in progress. What should the team
do?
A. Continue CPR for another 10 minutes before using it
B. Apply the AED and follow its prompts while minimizing
interruptions
C. Give epinephrine before turning on the AED
D. Remove the patient from the resuscitation area
Answer: B. Apply the AED and follow its prompts while minimizing
interruptions
Rationale: Early defibrillation is critical for shockable cardiac arrest
rhythms such as ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular
tachycardia. The AED should be applied promptly, with interruptions
in compressions kept as short as possible.
7. Which rhythm is considered shockable during cardiac arrest?
A. Ventricular fibrillation
B. Asystole
C. Pulseless electrical activity
D. Sinus bradycardia
, Answer: A. Ventricular fibrillation
Rationale: Ventricular fibrillation is a shockable rhythm because an
electrical defibrillation shock may terminate the chaotic ventricular
activity and allow an organized rhythm to resume. Asystole and
pulseless electrical activity are treated with CPR, epinephrine, and
correction of reversible causes rather than defibrillation.
8. Which cardiac-arrest rhythm is not treated with defibrillation?
A. Ventricular fibrillation
B. Pulseless ventricular tachycardia
C. Asystole
D. Coarse ventricular fibrillation
Answer: C. Asystole
Rationale: Asystole represents absence of meaningful ventricular
electrical activity and is classified as a nonshockable rhythm.
Management focuses on high-quality CPR, epinephrine, and
identification and treatment of reversible causes while avoiding
unnecessary shocks.
9. During CPR, the monitor shows pulseless ventricular tachycardia.
What is the priority intervention?
A. Atropine
B. Adenosine
C. Synchronized cardioversion
D. Immediate unsynchronized defibrillation
Answer: D. Immediate unsynchronized defibrillation
Rationale: Pulseless ventricular tachycardia is a shockable cardiac-
arrest rhythm. An unsynchronized defibrillation shock is used because
