Chain of Survival & Initial
Assessment questions with answers
newest edition (Q1–Q20)
1. What is the first link in the adult out-of-hospital Chain of Survival?
A. High-quality CPR
B. Recognition and activation of the emergency response system
C. Defibrillation
D. Advanced resuscitation
Answer: B
Rationale: The 2025 Guidelines emphasize that the Chain of Survival begins with recognition
and activation of the emergency response system, followed by high-quality CPR and
defibrillation .
2. A patient is unresponsive, not breathing, and has no pulse. What condition should you
recognize?
A. Stroke
B. Seizure
C. Cardiac arrest
D. Respiratory failure
Answer: C
Rationale: Unresponsiveness, absent breathing, and absent pulse define cardiac arrest and
require immediate CPR .
3. When checking for a pulse on an adult, how long should you take?
A. At least 5 seconds but no more than 10 seconds
B. 15 seconds
C. 30 seconds
D. 1 minute
Answer: A
Rationale: Pulse and breathing checks should be completed in less than 10 seconds to
minimize delay in starting CPR .
4. What is the correct compression-to-ventilation ratio for a single rescuer performing CPR
on an adult?
A. 15:2
B. 30:2
,C. 5:1
D. 50:2
Answer: B
Rationale: For adult CPR (1 or 2 rescuers), the ratio is 30 compressions to 2 breaths .
5. What is the correct compression rate for adult CPR?
A. 60–80 per minute
B. 80–100 per minute
C. 100–120 per minute
D. 120–140 per minute
Answer: C
Rationale: High-quality CPR requires a compression rate of 100–120 per minute .
6. What is the correct compression depth for an adult?
A. At least 1 inch
B. At least 1.5 inches
C. At least 2 inches but no more than 2.4 inches
D. At least 3 inches
Answer: C
Rationale: Adult compressions should be at least 2 inches (5 cm) deep, but not exceed 2.4
inches (6 cm) to avoid injury .
7. A patient is unresponsive with abnormal gasping. What should you do?
A. Wait for normal breathing to return
B. Begin CPR immediately
C. Give 2 rescue breaths only
D. Place in recovery position
Answer: B
Rationale: Agonal gasps are not normal breathing and indicate cardiac arrest. Begin CPR
immediately .
8. If you are alone with an adult in cardiac arrest and have a cell phone, what should you
do?
A. Leave the victim to find a phone
B. Call 911, put on speaker, and get an AED if available
C. Start CPR and do not call
D. Wait for someone else to arrive
Answer: B
Rationale: If alone with a phone, call 911, use speaker mode, and retrieve an AED if
immediately available while starting CPR .
, 9. For a child with a witnessed sudden collapse, what should a lone rescuer do first?
A. Give 2 minutes of CPR first
B. Activate the emergency response system and get the AED
C. Check for a pulse for 30 seconds
D. Give rescue breaths only
Answer: B
Rationale: For a witnessed arrest in a child, activate the emergency system and get the AED
first, as the cause is more likely to be shockable .
10. For a child with an unwitnessed arrest, what should a lone rescuer do first?
A. Activate the emergency system immediately
B. Give 2 minutes of CPR before leaving to activate the system
C. Check for a pulse for 1 minute
D. Wait for help
Answer: B
Rationale: For an unwitnessed pediatric arrest (likely asphyxial), give 2 minutes of CPR first
before leaving to activate the emergency response system .
11. What is the compression-to-ventilation ratio for 2-rescuer child or infant CPR?
A. 30:2
B. 15:2
C. 5:1
D. 10:2
Answer: B
Rationale: For 2-rescuer pediatric CPR, the ratio is 15 compressions to 2 breaths .
12. What is the compression depth for an infant?
A. At least 1/3 the depth of the chest, about 1.5 inches
B. At least 2 inches
C. At least 1 inch
D. At least 3 inches
Answer: A
Rationale: Infant compressions should be at least 1/3 the depth of the chest, approximately
1.5 inches (4 cm) .
13. What is the compression depth for a child?
A. At least 1 inch
B. At least 1/3 the depth of the chest, about 2 inches
C. At least 3 inches
D. At least 1.5 inches
Assessment questions with answers
newest edition (Q1–Q20)
1. What is the first link in the adult out-of-hospital Chain of Survival?
A. High-quality CPR
B. Recognition and activation of the emergency response system
C. Defibrillation
D. Advanced resuscitation
Answer: B
Rationale: The 2025 Guidelines emphasize that the Chain of Survival begins with recognition
and activation of the emergency response system, followed by high-quality CPR and
defibrillation .
2. A patient is unresponsive, not breathing, and has no pulse. What condition should you
recognize?
A. Stroke
B. Seizure
C. Cardiac arrest
D. Respiratory failure
Answer: C
Rationale: Unresponsiveness, absent breathing, and absent pulse define cardiac arrest and
require immediate CPR .
3. When checking for a pulse on an adult, how long should you take?
A. At least 5 seconds but no more than 10 seconds
B. 15 seconds
C. 30 seconds
D. 1 minute
Answer: A
Rationale: Pulse and breathing checks should be completed in less than 10 seconds to
minimize delay in starting CPR .
4. What is the correct compression-to-ventilation ratio for a single rescuer performing CPR
on an adult?
A. 15:2
B. 30:2
,C. 5:1
D. 50:2
Answer: B
Rationale: For adult CPR (1 or 2 rescuers), the ratio is 30 compressions to 2 breaths .
5. What is the correct compression rate for adult CPR?
A. 60–80 per minute
B. 80–100 per minute
C. 100–120 per minute
D. 120–140 per minute
Answer: C
Rationale: High-quality CPR requires a compression rate of 100–120 per minute .
6. What is the correct compression depth for an adult?
A. At least 1 inch
B. At least 1.5 inches
C. At least 2 inches but no more than 2.4 inches
D. At least 3 inches
Answer: C
Rationale: Adult compressions should be at least 2 inches (5 cm) deep, but not exceed 2.4
inches (6 cm) to avoid injury .
7. A patient is unresponsive with abnormal gasping. What should you do?
A. Wait for normal breathing to return
B. Begin CPR immediately
C. Give 2 rescue breaths only
D. Place in recovery position
Answer: B
Rationale: Agonal gasps are not normal breathing and indicate cardiac arrest. Begin CPR
immediately .
8. If you are alone with an adult in cardiac arrest and have a cell phone, what should you
do?
A. Leave the victim to find a phone
B. Call 911, put on speaker, and get an AED if available
C. Start CPR and do not call
D. Wait for someone else to arrive
Answer: B
Rationale: If alone with a phone, call 911, use speaker mode, and retrieve an AED if
immediately available while starting CPR .
, 9. For a child with a witnessed sudden collapse, what should a lone rescuer do first?
A. Give 2 minutes of CPR first
B. Activate the emergency response system and get the AED
C. Check for a pulse for 30 seconds
D. Give rescue breaths only
Answer: B
Rationale: For a witnessed arrest in a child, activate the emergency system and get the AED
first, as the cause is more likely to be shockable .
10. For a child with an unwitnessed arrest, what should a lone rescuer do first?
A. Activate the emergency system immediately
B. Give 2 minutes of CPR before leaving to activate the system
C. Check for a pulse for 1 minute
D. Wait for help
Answer: B
Rationale: For an unwitnessed pediatric arrest (likely asphyxial), give 2 minutes of CPR first
before leaving to activate the emergency response system .
11. What is the compression-to-ventilation ratio for 2-rescuer child or infant CPR?
A. 30:2
B. 15:2
C. 5:1
D. 10:2
Answer: B
Rationale: For 2-rescuer pediatric CPR, the ratio is 15 compressions to 2 breaths .
12. What is the compression depth for an infant?
A. At least 1/3 the depth of the chest, about 1.5 inches
B. At least 2 inches
C. At least 1 inch
D. At least 3 inches
Answer: A
Rationale: Infant compressions should be at least 1/3 the depth of the chest, approximately
1.5 inches (4 cm) .
13. What is the compression depth for a child?
A. At least 1 inch
B. At least 1/3 the depth of the chest, about 2 inches
C. At least 3 inches
D. At least 1.5 inches
