ALS/ACLS - Red Cross Final Exam
[2021] Updated 2024-2025
A member of the resuscitation team is preparing to defibrillate a patient in cardiac arrest
using a biphasic defibrillator. The team member would set the energy dose according to
the manufacturer's recommendations, which is usually: - CORRECT ANSWERS-120 to
200 joules
A member of the resuscitation team is preparing to administer medications
intravenously to a patient in cardiac arrest. The team member follows each medication
administration with a bolus of fluid. How much would the team member give? -
CORRECT ANSWERS-10 to 20 mL
A 30-year-old patient has been brought to the emergency department in full cardiac
arrest. The cardiac monitor shows the following rhythm. Interpretation of this rhythm
would suggest which of the following as a possible precipitating factor? - CORRECT
ANSWERS-Electrocution
Cardiac monitoring of a patient in cardiac arrest reveals ventricular fibrillation. What
intervention would the team perform next? - CORRECT ANSWERS-Administer 1 shock.
A patient has experienced return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after cardiac
arrest. The healthcare team is conducting a secondary assessment to determine the
possible cause of the patient's cardiac arrest. Before the arrest, the patient exhibited
jugular venous distension, cyanosis, apnea and hyperresonance on percussion. The
patient was also difficult to ventilate during the response. The team would most likely
suspect which condition as the cause? - CORRECT ANSWERS-Tension pneumothorax
A patient in cardiac arrest experiences return of spontaneous circulation. As part of
post-cardiac arrest care, the patient is receiving mechanical ventilation. Which finding(s)
would indicate the need for change in the ventilator settings to optimize the patient's
ventilation and oxygenation? - CORRECT ANSWERS-1. SaO2 92%
2. PaCO2 35 mmHg
3. ETCO2 50 mmHg
After cardiac arrest and successful resuscitation, the patient has a return of
spontaneous circulation. The patient is unable to follow verbal commands and has a
Glasgow Coma Scale score of 7. Targeted temperature management is initiated. Which
method(s) would be appropriate for the resuscitation team to use? - CORRECT
ANSWERS-1. Applying cooling blankets to the patient's body
2. Giving an ice-cold IV fluid bolus
3. Using an endovascular catheter
, A 40-year-old patient in the waiting room of the primary care provider's office
approaches a staff member and says, "I'm having really severe, crushing chest pain that
is moving to both my arms." The patient is diaphoretic and dyspneic. Which action
would be appropriate for the staff member to take? - CORRECT ANSWERS-Activate
the emergency medical services system.
The resuscitation team suspects that hyperkalemia is the cause of cardiac arrest in a
patient brought to the emergency department. Which finding on a 12-lead ECG would
confirm this suspicion? - CORRECT ANSWERS-Wide-complex ventricular rhythm or
tall, pointed T waves
A patient with dyspnea and a change in mental status arrives at the emergency
department. The healthcare team completes the necessary assessments and begins to
care for the patient, including initiating cardiac monitoring, pulse oximetry, supplemental
oxygen and vascular access. The team reviews the patient's ECG rhythm strip, as
shown in the following figure. Which agent would the team most likely administer? -
CORRECT ANSWERS-Atropine 0.5 mg every 4 to 5 minutes
A patient experiencing an unstable bradyarrhythmia does not respond to atropine or
transcutaneous pacing. Which intervention would the healthcare provider use next? -
CORRECT ANSWERS-Administration of an epinephrine infusion
A patient's ECG reveals a tachyarrhythmia. The patient is hemodynamically stable and
has a heart rate ranging from 120 to 135 beats per minute. Based on the findings of the
secondary assessment, which statement(s) by the patient would the team interpret as a
possible contributing cause? - CORRECT ANSWERS-1. "I've had a terrible cold with a
horrible cough and fever the past week."
2. "I've been so anxious lately because I just lost my job."
3. "I've been vomiting for the past 2 days from a gastrointestinal bug."
A patient's ECG reveals a narrow QRS complex with a regular rhythm, indicating a
narrow-complex supraventricular tachyarrhythmia. The patient is hemodynamically
stable. Which intervention would be initiated first? - CORRECT ANSWERS-Vagal
maneuvers
A patient in the telemetry unit is stable. Cardiac monitoring indicates the patient has
ventricular tachycardia with a pulse. Further assessment reveals that the corrected QT
interval is greater than 0.46 seconds. Which treatment would be appropriate at this
time? - CORRECT ANSWERS-Synchronized cardioversion
An ECG strip of a patient in the emergency department reveals the following rhythm.
Which feature would the healthcare provider interpret as indicating atrial fibrillation? -
CORRECT ANSWERS-Absence of discrete P waves and presence of irregularly
irregular QRS complexes
[2021] Updated 2024-2025
A member of the resuscitation team is preparing to defibrillate a patient in cardiac arrest
using a biphasic defibrillator. The team member would set the energy dose according to
the manufacturer's recommendations, which is usually: - CORRECT ANSWERS-120 to
200 joules
A member of the resuscitation team is preparing to administer medications
intravenously to a patient in cardiac arrest. The team member follows each medication
administration with a bolus of fluid. How much would the team member give? -
CORRECT ANSWERS-10 to 20 mL
A 30-year-old patient has been brought to the emergency department in full cardiac
arrest. The cardiac monitor shows the following rhythm. Interpretation of this rhythm
would suggest which of the following as a possible precipitating factor? - CORRECT
ANSWERS-Electrocution
Cardiac monitoring of a patient in cardiac arrest reveals ventricular fibrillation. What
intervention would the team perform next? - CORRECT ANSWERS-Administer 1 shock.
A patient has experienced return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after cardiac
arrest. The healthcare team is conducting a secondary assessment to determine the
possible cause of the patient's cardiac arrest. Before the arrest, the patient exhibited
jugular venous distension, cyanosis, apnea and hyperresonance on percussion. The
patient was also difficult to ventilate during the response. The team would most likely
suspect which condition as the cause? - CORRECT ANSWERS-Tension pneumothorax
A patient in cardiac arrest experiences return of spontaneous circulation. As part of
post-cardiac arrest care, the patient is receiving mechanical ventilation. Which finding(s)
would indicate the need for change in the ventilator settings to optimize the patient's
ventilation and oxygenation? - CORRECT ANSWERS-1. SaO2 92%
2. PaCO2 35 mmHg
3. ETCO2 50 mmHg
After cardiac arrest and successful resuscitation, the patient has a return of
spontaneous circulation. The patient is unable to follow verbal commands and has a
Glasgow Coma Scale score of 7. Targeted temperature management is initiated. Which
method(s) would be appropriate for the resuscitation team to use? - CORRECT
ANSWERS-1. Applying cooling blankets to the patient's body
2. Giving an ice-cold IV fluid bolus
3. Using an endovascular catheter
, A 40-year-old patient in the waiting room of the primary care provider's office
approaches a staff member and says, "I'm having really severe, crushing chest pain that
is moving to both my arms." The patient is diaphoretic and dyspneic. Which action
would be appropriate for the staff member to take? - CORRECT ANSWERS-Activate
the emergency medical services system.
The resuscitation team suspects that hyperkalemia is the cause of cardiac arrest in a
patient brought to the emergency department. Which finding on a 12-lead ECG would
confirm this suspicion? - CORRECT ANSWERS-Wide-complex ventricular rhythm or
tall, pointed T waves
A patient with dyspnea and a change in mental status arrives at the emergency
department. The healthcare team completes the necessary assessments and begins to
care for the patient, including initiating cardiac monitoring, pulse oximetry, supplemental
oxygen and vascular access. The team reviews the patient's ECG rhythm strip, as
shown in the following figure. Which agent would the team most likely administer? -
CORRECT ANSWERS-Atropine 0.5 mg every 4 to 5 minutes
A patient experiencing an unstable bradyarrhythmia does not respond to atropine or
transcutaneous pacing. Which intervention would the healthcare provider use next? -
CORRECT ANSWERS-Administration of an epinephrine infusion
A patient's ECG reveals a tachyarrhythmia. The patient is hemodynamically stable and
has a heart rate ranging from 120 to 135 beats per minute. Based on the findings of the
secondary assessment, which statement(s) by the patient would the team interpret as a
possible contributing cause? - CORRECT ANSWERS-1. "I've had a terrible cold with a
horrible cough and fever the past week."
2. "I've been so anxious lately because I just lost my job."
3. "I've been vomiting for the past 2 days from a gastrointestinal bug."
A patient's ECG reveals a narrow QRS complex with a regular rhythm, indicating a
narrow-complex supraventricular tachyarrhythmia. The patient is hemodynamically
stable. Which intervention would be initiated first? - CORRECT ANSWERS-Vagal
maneuvers
A patient in the telemetry unit is stable. Cardiac monitoring indicates the patient has
ventricular tachycardia with a pulse. Further assessment reveals that the corrected QT
interval is greater than 0.46 seconds. Which treatment would be appropriate at this
time? - CORRECT ANSWERS-Synchronized cardioversion
An ECG strip of a patient in the emergency department reveals the following rhythm.
Which feature would the healthcare provider interpret as indicating atrial fibrillation? -
CORRECT ANSWERS-Absence of discrete P waves and presence of irregularly
irregular QRS complexes
