Advanced Life Support (ALS) Online
Session Final Exam Questions with
Correct Answers 2025/2026
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?
Vagal maneuvers
For a patient who is hemodynamically stable and experiencing a narrow-complex
supraventricular tachyarrhythmia, vagal maneuvers are attempted first. If ineffective,
adenosine is given.
A patient's capnogram reveals the following waveform. Which segment would the
healthcare provider interpret as reflecting the beginning of exhalation?
A-B
The A–B segment is the respiratory baseline that represents the beginning of
exhalation.
A patient experiencing an unstable bradyarrhythmia does not respond to atropine or
transcutaneous pacing. Which intervention would the healthcare provider use next?
Administration of an epinephrine infusion.
Epinephrine or dopamine may be administered to patients with symptomatic
bradycardia if atropine and transcutaneous pacing are not effective.
A patient with a suspected stroke arrives at the emergency department at 7:10 p.m. The
stroke team ensures that a neurologic assessment and brain computed tomography or
magnetic resonance imaging is obtained by which time?
7:30 p.m.
In accordance with National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke guidelines,
the stroke team, emergency physician or other expert must conduct a neurologic
assessment and obtain computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging within 20
minutes after the patient’s arrival in the emergency department. That would be 7:30
p.m. for this patient.
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?
Synchronized cardioversion
For a patient with ventricular tachycardia who is stable, has a pulse and has a corrected
QT interval greater than 0.46 seconds, synchronized cardioversion is the recommended
treatment.
A resuscitation team is debriefing following a recent event. A patient experienced
cardiac arrest, and advanced cardiac 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?
“We delivered 1 ventilation every 6 seconds and chest compressions at a rate of
100 to 120 compressions per minute.”
When an advanced airway has been placed in a patient who is in cardiac arrest,
compressions and ventilations are delivered continuously with no interruptions. One
provider delivers 1 ventilation every 6 seconds, while the second provider performs
compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute.
A healthcare provider initiates ventilations to ensure adequate breathing and
oxygenation. While ventilations are being performed, capnography is established to
evaluate the adequacy of the ventilations. The healthcare provider determines that
ventilations are adequate based on which end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) value?
35 to 45 mmHg
End-tidal carbon dioxide values in the range of 35 to 45 mmHg confirm adequacy of
ventilation.
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?
Absence of discrete P waves and presence of irregularly irregular QRS
complexes.
The two key features of atrial fibrillation on ECG are the absence of discrete P waves
and the presence of irregularly irregular QRS complexes.
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?
1. ETCO2 50 mmHg
2. PaCO2 35 mmHg
3. SaO2 92%
Mechanical ventilation should be started at a rate of 10 to 12 breaths per minute and
adjusted as necessary to keep ETCO2 levels in the range of 35 to 40 mmHg and
PaCO2 levels in the range of 40 to 45 mmHg. The minimum fraction of inspired oxygen
necessary to maintain an SaO2 of at least 94% is used.
The following capnogram is from a patient experiencing respiratory distress. At which
point in the waveform would the patient's ETCO2 level be measured?
D
The ETCO2 value is measured at the end of exhalation (point D), which represents the
peak level.
Session Final Exam Questions with
Correct Answers 2025/2026
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?
Vagal maneuvers
For a patient who is hemodynamically stable and experiencing a narrow-complex
supraventricular tachyarrhythmia, vagal maneuvers are attempted first. If ineffective,
adenosine is given.
A patient's capnogram reveals the following waveform. Which segment would the
healthcare provider interpret as reflecting the beginning of exhalation?
A-B
The A–B segment is the respiratory baseline that represents the beginning of
exhalation.
A patient experiencing an unstable bradyarrhythmia does not respond to atropine or
transcutaneous pacing. Which intervention would the healthcare provider use next?
Administration of an epinephrine infusion.
Epinephrine or dopamine may be administered to patients with symptomatic
bradycardia if atropine and transcutaneous pacing are not effective.
A patient with a suspected stroke arrives at the emergency department at 7:10 p.m. The
stroke team ensures that a neurologic assessment and brain computed tomography or
magnetic resonance imaging is obtained by which time?
7:30 p.m.
In accordance with National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke guidelines,
the stroke team, emergency physician or other expert must conduct a neurologic
assessment and obtain computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging within 20
minutes after the patient’s arrival in the emergency department. That would be 7:30
p.m. for this patient.
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?
Synchronized cardioversion
For a patient with ventricular tachycardia who is stable, has a pulse and has a corrected
QT interval greater than 0.46 seconds, synchronized cardioversion is the recommended
treatment.
A resuscitation team is debriefing following a recent event. A patient experienced
cardiac arrest, and advanced cardiac 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?
“We delivered 1 ventilation every 6 seconds and chest compressions at a rate of
100 to 120 compressions per minute.”
When an advanced airway has been placed in a patient who is in cardiac arrest,
compressions and ventilations are delivered continuously with no interruptions. One
provider delivers 1 ventilation every 6 seconds, while the second provider performs
compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute.
A healthcare provider initiates ventilations to ensure adequate breathing and
oxygenation. While ventilations are being performed, capnography is established to
evaluate the adequacy of the ventilations. The healthcare provider determines that
ventilations are adequate based on which end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) value?
35 to 45 mmHg
End-tidal carbon dioxide values in the range of 35 to 45 mmHg confirm adequacy of
ventilation.
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?
Absence of discrete P waves and presence of irregularly irregular QRS
complexes.
The two key features of atrial fibrillation on ECG are the absence of discrete P waves
and the presence of irregularly irregular QRS complexes.
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?
1. ETCO2 50 mmHg
2. PaCO2 35 mmHg
3. SaO2 92%
Mechanical ventilation should be started at a rate of 10 to 12 breaths per minute and
adjusted as necessary to keep ETCO2 levels in the range of 35 to 40 mmHg and
PaCO2 levels in the range of 40 to 45 mmHg. The minimum fraction of inspired oxygen
necessary to maintain an SaO2 of at least 94% is used.
The following capnogram is from a patient experiencing respiratory distress. At which
point in the waveform would the patient's ETCO2 level be measured?
D
The ETCO2 value is measured at the end of exhalation (point D), which represents the
peak level.
