ACLS FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS
Cardiac monitoring of a patient in cardiac arrest reveals ventricular fibrillation. In addition to high-
quality CPR, what intervention should be a priority for the team? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔✅Defibrillation.
A 28-year-old pregnant patient who resides in transitional housing presents to the emergency
department with complaints of feeling feverish and very faint. The patient tells the emergency nurse
that she does not know when she became pregnant. Upon palpation, the fundus is not at or above the
umbilicus. The patient's condition quickly deteriorates and she goes into cardiac arrest. If available
and able to be used without impeding or delaying the resuscitation effort, what diagnostic tool could
be used to guide decision-making in the care of this patient? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Point-of-care
ultrasound
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 ANSWER-✔✔✅Wide-complex ventricular rhythm and tall, peaked T waves
A responsive patient is choking. What method should the provider use first to clear the obstructed
airway? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Back blows
A 20-year-old man with respiratory depression is brought to the emergency department by his
parents. Opioid overdose is suspected, and an initial dose of naloxone is administered at 10 p.m. The
patient does not respond to this initial dose. The team would expect to administer a second dose after
how many minutes? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅2 minutes
A patient is in cardiac arrest. The cardiac monitor shows asystole. In addition to providing continuous
high-quality CPR, what is the other priority intervention for this patient? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔✅Administering epinephrine as early as possible
Cardiac monitoring reveals a tachyarrhythmia. The patient is hemodynamically stable and has a
regular heart rate ranging from 120 to 135 beats per minute. Which statements by the patient could
the team interpret as contributing to the tachyarrhythmia? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅"I've been so
anxious lately because I just lost my job."
, "I've had a terrible cold with a horrible cough for the past week and today I developed a fever."
Correct
"I've been vomiting for the past 2 days from a gastrointestinal bug."
A resuscitation team is debriefing following a recent event. A patient experienced cardiac arrest, and
advanced life support was initiated. The patient required the placement of an advanced airway to
maintain airway patency. Which statement indicates that the team performed high-quality CPR? -
CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅"We provided chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per
minute while giving 1 ventilation every 6 seconds without pausing compressions."
What is the priority intervention for a patient with a narrow-complex tachycardia (160 bpm) and a
blood pressure of 72/48 mmHg? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Perform immediate synchronized
cardioversion
A patient is brought into the emergency department. The patient does not have a pulse. The cardiac
monitor shows the following rhythm. The team interprets this as which condition? - CORRECT
ANSWER-✔✔✅Ventricular tachycardia
A patient's ECG reveals a narrow QRS complex with a regular rhythm, indicating a narrow-complex
supraventricular tachyarrhythmia. The patient is not showing signs of hemodynamic compromise.
Which intervention would be initiated first if it does not delay other interventions? - CORRECT
ANSWER-✔✔✅Vagal maneuvers
For a patient with third-degree atrioventricular (AV) block and a blood pressure of 70/48 mmHg, what
interventions should be considered? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Administer atropine
Initiate transcutaneous pacing
Initiate a dopamine infusion
A patient with suspected acute coronary syndromes (ACS) has a pulse oximetry reading of 86% and is
given supplemental oxygen. The provider determines that the supplemental oxygen dose is correct
based on which SaO2 level? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅93%
ANSWERS
Cardiac monitoring of a patient in cardiac arrest reveals ventricular fibrillation. In addition to high-
quality CPR, what intervention should be a priority for the team? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔✅Defibrillation.
A 28-year-old pregnant patient who resides in transitional housing presents to the emergency
department with complaints of feeling feverish and very faint. The patient tells the emergency nurse
that she does not know when she became pregnant. Upon palpation, the fundus is not at or above the
umbilicus. The patient's condition quickly deteriorates and she goes into cardiac arrest. If available
and able to be used without impeding or delaying the resuscitation effort, what diagnostic tool could
be used to guide decision-making in the care of this patient? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Point-of-care
ultrasound
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 ANSWER-✔✔✅Wide-complex ventricular rhythm and tall, peaked T waves
A responsive patient is choking. What method should the provider use first to clear the obstructed
airway? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Back blows
A 20-year-old man with respiratory depression is brought to the emergency department by his
parents. Opioid overdose is suspected, and an initial dose of naloxone is administered at 10 p.m. The
patient does not respond to this initial dose. The team would expect to administer a second dose after
how many minutes? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅2 minutes
A patient is in cardiac arrest. The cardiac monitor shows asystole. In addition to providing continuous
high-quality CPR, what is the other priority intervention for this patient? - CORRECT ANSWER-
✔✔✅Administering epinephrine as early as possible
Cardiac monitoring reveals a tachyarrhythmia. The patient is hemodynamically stable and has a
regular heart rate ranging from 120 to 135 beats per minute. Which statements by the patient could
the team interpret as contributing to the tachyarrhythmia? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅"I've been so
anxious lately because I just lost my job."
, "I've had a terrible cold with a horrible cough for the past week and today I developed a fever."
Correct
"I've been vomiting for the past 2 days from a gastrointestinal bug."
A resuscitation team is debriefing following a recent event. A patient experienced cardiac arrest, and
advanced life support was initiated. The patient required the placement of an advanced airway to
maintain airway patency. Which statement indicates that the team performed high-quality CPR? -
CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅"We provided chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per
minute while giving 1 ventilation every 6 seconds without pausing compressions."
What is the priority intervention for a patient with a narrow-complex tachycardia (160 bpm) and a
blood pressure of 72/48 mmHg? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Perform immediate synchronized
cardioversion
A patient is brought into the emergency department. The patient does not have a pulse. The cardiac
monitor shows the following rhythm. The team interprets this as which condition? - CORRECT
ANSWER-✔✔✅Ventricular tachycardia
A patient's ECG reveals a narrow QRS complex with a regular rhythm, indicating a narrow-complex
supraventricular tachyarrhythmia. The patient is not showing signs of hemodynamic compromise.
Which intervention would be initiated first if it does not delay other interventions? - CORRECT
ANSWER-✔✔✅Vagal maneuvers
For a patient with third-degree atrioventricular (AV) block and a blood pressure of 70/48 mmHg, what
interventions should be considered? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅Administer atropine
Initiate transcutaneous pacing
Initiate a dopamine infusion
A patient with suspected acute coronary syndromes (ACS) has a pulse oximetry reading of 86% and is
given supplemental oxygen. The provider determines that the supplemental oxygen dose is correct
based on which SaO2 level? - CORRECT ANSWER-✔✔✅93%
