AHA PALS PRACTICE EXAM QUESTIONS
WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
A 3-year-old child is unresponsive, not breathing, and pulseless. High-quality CPR is in
progress. A cardiac monitor is applied, and the rhythm below is noted. What is the next
appropriate intervention?
A. Attempt defibrillation with a 2 J/kg shock
B. Administer epinephrine 0.01 mg/kg
C. Consider placement of an advanced airway
D. Administer amiodarone 5 mg/kg - ANSWER-Attempt defibrillation with a 2 J/kg shock
A pulseless 6-week-old infant arrives in the emergency department, and high-quality
CPR is in progress. The initial rhythm strip is shown below. CPR continues, and vascular
access has been established. What is the next appropriate intervention?
A. Administer atropine 0.02 mg/kg IO/IV
B. Attempt defibrillation with a 2 J/kg shock
C. Administer epinephrine 0.01 mg/kg IO/IV
D. Consider insertion of an advanced airway - ANSWER-Administer epinephrine 0.01
mg/kg IO/IV
A 6-month-old infant is unresponsive and not breathing. What is the maximum time that
should be spent trying to palpate the pulse before starting CPR?
A. 10 seconds
B. 15 seconds
C. 30 seconds
D. 60 seconds - ANSWER-10 seconds
What is the recommended location to check for a pulse in a 3- month-old infant?
A. Carotid
B. Radial
C. Brachial
D. Cardiac apex - ANSWER-C. Brachial
A 7-year-old child presents in pulseless arrest. The child's ECG shows the rhythm below.
Which of the following describes the patient's condition?
A. Ventricular escape rhythm
B. Ventricular tachycardia
C. Pulseless electrical activity
D. Sinus bradycardia - ANSWER-Pulseless electrical activity
A 12-year-old child suddenly collapses while playing sports. He is unresponsive and not
breathing. Emergency response is activated. The child has no pulse, and CPR is
initiated. An AED arrives. What is the most appropriate next intervention?
A. Contact the child's family
B. Provide CPR for 2 minutes
C. Drive the child to the hospital
D. Use the AED - ANSWER-Use the AED
, A 6-year-old child is found unresponsive, not breathing, and pulseless. What is the
correct compression-to-ventilation ratio when 2 or more healthcare providers are present
to perform CPR? - ANSWER-15:2
A 5-year-old child has had severe respiratory distress for 2 days. During assessment the
child's heart rate decreases from 140/min to 90/min, and the child's respiratory rate
decreases from 66/min to 8/min. What intervention is most appropriate?
A. Provide rescue breaths at a rate of 12 to 20/min B. Provide rescue breaths at a rate of
6 to 10/min
C. Initiate chest compressions at a rate of at least 100/min
D. Initiate chest compressions at a rate of 60/min - ANSWER-Provide rescue breaths at
a rate of 12 to 20/min
A 7-year-old child presents with a narrow-complex supraventricular tachycardia, lethargy,
and poor perfusion. Pulses are weak and thready. Vascular access cannot be
established. What is the most appropriate intervention?
A. Unsynchronized shock with 0.5 to 1 J/kg
B. Synchronized shock with 0.5 to 1 J/kg
C. Unsynchronized shock with 2 J/kg
D. Synchronized shock with 2 J/kg - ANSWER-Synchronized shock with 0.5 to 1 J/kg
A 13-year-old patient with asthma just received oxygen and albuterol via a nebulizer.
What is the next most appropriate intervention?
A. Administer 0.1 mg/kg of adenosine
B. Obtain a blood sample to evaluate arterial or venous blood gases
C. Reassess breath sounds and clinical status
D. Repeat the albuterol treatment - ANSWER-Reassess breath sounds and clinical
status
The respiratory rate of a 1-year-old child with respiratory distress has decreased from
65/min to 30/min. The child is more lethargic and continues to have subcostal retractions.
What does this change likely indicate?
A. Respiratory distress is unchanged
B. Progression toward respiratory failure
C. Improved respiratory status
D. Neurologic impairment - ANSWER-Progression toward respiratory failure
What is the most likely cause of head bobbing in infants?
A. Increased respiratory effort
B. Improving respiratory status
C. Decompensated shock
D. Brain injury - ANSWER-Increased respiratory effort
Several healthcare providers are participating in an attempted resuscitation. Which of the
following is most consistent with the responsibilities of the team leader of the
resuscitation?
A. Records medications and interventions
B. Assigns roles to team members
C. Administers defibrillation shocks
D. Provides compressions - ANSWER-Assigns roles to team members
WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
A 3-year-old child is unresponsive, not breathing, and pulseless. High-quality CPR is in
progress. A cardiac monitor is applied, and the rhythm below is noted. What is the next
appropriate intervention?
A. Attempt defibrillation with a 2 J/kg shock
B. Administer epinephrine 0.01 mg/kg
C. Consider placement of an advanced airway
D. Administer amiodarone 5 mg/kg - ANSWER-Attempt defibrillation with a 2 J/kg shock
A pulseless 6-week-old infant arrives in the emergency department, and high-quality
CPR is in progress. The initial rhythm strip is shown below. CPR continues, and vascular
access has been established. What is the next appropriate intervention?
A. Administer atropine 0.02 mg/kg IO/IV
B. Attempt defibrillation with a 2 J/kg shock
C. Administer epinephrine 0.01 mg/kg IO/IV
D. Consider insertion of an advanced airway - ANSWER-Administer epinephrine 0.01
mg/kg IO/IV
A 6-month-old infant is unresponsive and not breathing. What is the maximum time that
should be spent trying to palpate the pulse before starting CPR?
A. 10 seconds
B. 15 seconds
C. 30 seconds
D. 60 seconds - ANSWER-10 seconds
What is the recommended location to check for a pulse in a 3- month-old infant?
A. Carotid
B. Radial
C. Brachial
D. Cardiac apex - ANSWER-C. Brachial
A 7-year-old child presents in pulseless arrest. The child's ECG shows the rhythm below.
Which of the following describes the patient's condition?
A. Ventricular escape rhythm
B. Ventricular tachycardia
C. Pulseless electrical activity
D. Sinus bradycardia - ANSWER-Pulseless electrical activity
A 12-year-old child suddenly collapses while playing sports. He is unresponsive and not
breathing. Emergency response is activated. The child has no pulse, and CPR is
initiated. An AED arrives. What is the most appropriate next intervention?
A. Contact the child's family
B. Provide CPR for 2 minutes
C. Drive the child to the hospital
D. Use the AED - ANSWER-Use the AED
, A 6-year-old child is found unresponsive, not breathing, and pulseless. What is the
correct compression-to-ventilation ratio when 2 or more healthcare providers are present
to perform CPR? - ANSWER-15:2
A 5-year-old child has had severe respiratory distress for 2 days. During assessment the
child's heart rate decreases from 140/min to 90/min, and the child's respiratory rate
decreases from 66/min to 8/min. What intervention is most appropriate?
A. Provide rescue breaths at a rate of 12 to 20/min B. Provide rescue breaths at a rate of
6 to 10/min
C. Initiate chest compressions at a rate of at least 100/min
D. Initiate chest compressions at a rate of 60/min - ANSWER-Provide rescue breaths at
a rate of 12 to 20/min
A 7-year-old child presents with a narrow-complex supraventricular tachycardia, lethargy,
and poor perfusion. Pulses are weak and thready. Vascular access cannot be
established. What is the most appropriate intervention?
A. Unsynchronized shock with 0.5 to 1 J/kg
B. Synchronized shock with 0.5 to 1 J/kg
C. Unsynchronized shock with 2 J/kg
D. Synchronized shock with 2 J/kg - ANSWER-Synchronized shock with 0.5 to 1 J/kg
A 13-year-old patient with asthma just received oxygen and albuterol via a nebulizer.
What is the next most appropriate intervention?
A. Administer 0.1 mg/kg of adenosine
B. Obtain a blood sample to evaluate arterial or venous blood gases
C. Reassess breath sounds and clinical status
D. Repeat the albuterol treatment - ANSWER-Reassess breath sounds and clinical
status
The respiratory rate of a 1-year-old child with respiratory distress has decreased from
65/min to 30/min. The child is more lethargic and continues to have subcostal retractions.
What does this change likely indicate?
A. Respiratory distress is unchanged
B. Progression toward respiratory failure
C. Improved respiratory status
D. Neurologic impairment - ANSWER-Progression toward respiratory failure
What is the most likely cause of head bobbing in infants?
A. Increased respiratory effort
B. Improving respiratory status
C. Decompensated shock
D. Brain injury - ANSWER-Increased respiratory effort
Several healthcare providers are participating in an attempted resuscitation. Which of the
following is most consistent with the responsibilities of the team leader of the
resuscitation?
A. Records medications and interventions
B. Assigns roles to team members
C. Administers defibrillation shocks
D. Provides compressions - ANSWER-Assigns roles to team members
