ACLS 2026 RQI Study Review Questions
and Answers
Which pulses should be assessed to monitor systemic perfusion in a child? - CORRECT
ANSWER-peripheral and central
What should the first rescuer arriving on the scene of an unresponsive infant or child
do? (in order) - CORRECT ANSWER-1. verify scene safety
2. check for responsiveness
3. shout for help
4. activate the emergency response system
Why may excessive ventilation during CPR be harmful? - CORRECT ANSWER-- it
increases intrathoracic pressure
- it impedes venous return
If you cannot achieve effective ventilation (ie, the chest does not rise), do the following: -
CORRECT ANSWER-- reposition/reopen the airway (sniffing position)
- verify mask size and ensure a tight face-mask seal
- suction the airway if needed
- check the O2 source
- check the ventilation bag and mask
- treat gastric inflation (NG/OG)
- consider 2-person bag-mask ventilation and inserting an OPA
Ventilation rate - CORRECT ANSWER-1 breath every 2-3 seconds delivered over 1
second (20-30 breaths per minute)
Early signs of tissue hypoxia - CORRECT ANSWER-- tachypnea
- increased respiratory effort (nasal flaring, retractions)
- tachycardia
- pallor, mottling, cyanosis
- agitation, anxiety, irritability
Late signs of tissue hypoxia - CORRECT ANSWER-- bradypnea, inadequate respiratory
effort, apnea
- increased respiratory effort (head bobbing, seesaw respirations, grunting)
- bradycardia
- pallor, mottling, cyanosis
, m
- decreased mlevel mof
mconsciousness
m
What mis mthe mrole mof mthe mdiaphragm mduring mnormal mbreathing min minfants? m-
mCORRECT m
m
ANSWER-pulls mthe mribs mslightly
minward
m
S/S mmild mrespiratory mdistress m- mCORRECT mANSWER-- mmild
mtachypnea
m
- mmild mincrease min mrespiratory meffort m(nasal mflaring,
mretractions)
m
- mabnormal mairway msounds m(stridor, mwheezing,
mgrunting)
m
S/S mSevere mrespiratory mdistress m- mCORRECT mANSWER-- mmarked mtachypnea m
- marked mincrease min mrespiratory meffort m
- paradoxical mthroacoabdominal mbreathing m(seesaw mbreathing) m
- accessory mmuscle muse m(head mbobbing) m
- abnormal mairway msounds m(grunting) m
- decreased mlevel mof mconsciousness m
m
S/S mImpending mrespiratory marrest m- mCORRECT mANSWER-- mbradypnea, mapnea,
mrespiratory mpauses m
- low moxygen msaturation m(hypoxemia) mdespite mhigh-flow msupplemental moxygen m
- inadequate mrespiratory meffort m(shallow mrespirations) m
- decreased mlevel mof mconsciousness m(unresponsive) m
- bradycardia m
m
What msteps mshould mbe mtaken mas mpart mof minitial mmanagement mof ma mchild min
mrespiratory m
m
distress? m- mCORRECT mANSWER-- mmonitor mO2 msat mby mpulse
mox
m
- mmonitor mHR, mrhythm, mand,
mBP
m
- msupport man mopen
mairway
m
Stridor m- mCORRECT mANSWER-high-pitched mbreathing mduring minspirations m
m
Crackles m- mCORRECT mANSWER-breath msounds mheart mduring mexpirations m
m
How mshould m1-rescuer minfant mcompressions mbe mdelivered? m- mCORRECT mANSWER--
mtwo m
m
fingers mor mtwo
mthumbs m
and Answers
Which pulses should be assessed to monitor systemic perfusion in a child? - CORRECT
ANSWER-peripheral and central
What should the first rescuer arriving on the scene of an unresponsive infant or child
do? (in order) - CORRECT ANSWER-1. verify scene safety
2. check for responsiveness
3. shout for help
4. activate the emergency response system
Why may excessive ventilation during CPR be harmful? - CORRECT ANSWER-- it
increases intrathoracic pressure
- it impedes venous return
If you cannot achieve effective ventilation (ie, the chest does not rise), do the following: -
CORRECT ANSWER-- reposition/reopen the airway (sniffing position)
- verify mask size and ensure a tight face-mask seal
- suction the airway if needed
- check the O2 source
- check the ventilation bag and mask
- treat gastric inflation (NG/OG)
- consider 2-person bag-mask ventilation and inserting an OPA
Ventilation rate - CORRECT ANSWER-1 breath every 2-3 seconds delivered over 1
second (20-30 breaths per minute)
Early signs of tissue hypoxia - CORRECT ANSWER-- tachypnea
- increased respiratory effort (nasal flaring, retractions)
- tachycardia
- pallor, mottling, cyanosis
- agitation, anxiety, irritability
Late signs of tissue hypoxia - CORRECT ANSWER-- bradypnea, inadequate respiratory
effort, apnea
- increased respiratory effort (head bobbing, seesaw respirations, grunting)
- bradycardia
- pallor, mottling, cyanosis
, m
- decreased mlevel mof
mconsciousness
m
What mis mthe mrole mof mthe mdiaphragm mduring mnormal mbreathing min minfants? m-
mCORRECT m
m
ANSWER-pulls mthe mribs mslightly
minward
m
S/S mmild mrespiratory mdistress m- mCORRECT mANSWER-- mmild
mtachypnea
m
- mmild mincrease min mrespiratory meffort m(nasal mflaring,
mretractions)
m
- mabnormal mairway msounds m(stridor, mwheezing,
mgrunting)
m
S/S mSevere mrespiratory mdistress m- mCORRECT mANSWER-- mmarked mtachypnea m
- marked mincrease min mrespiratory meffort m
- paradoxical mthroacoabdominal mbreathing m(seesaw mbreathing) m
- accessory mmuscle muse m(head mbobbing) m
- abnormal mairway msounds m(grunting) m
- decreased mlevel mof mconsciousness m
m
S/S mImpending mrespiratory marrest m- mCORRECT mANSWER-- mbradypnea, mapnea,
mrespiratory mpauses m
- low moxygen msaturation m(hypoxemia) mdespite mhigh-flow msupplemental moxygen m
- inadequate mrespiratory meffort m(shallow mrespirations) m
- decreased mlevel mof mconsciousness m(unresponsive) m
- bradycardia m
m
What msteps mshould mbe mtaken mas mpart mof minitial mmanagement mof ma mchild min
mrespiratory m
m
distress? m- mCORRECT mANSWER-- mmonitor mO2 msat mby mpulse
mox
m
- mmonitor mHR, mrhythm, mand,
mBP
m
- msupport man mopen
mairway
m
Stridor m- mCORRECT mANSWER-high-pitched mbreathing mduring minspirations m
m
Crackles m- mCORRECT mANSWER-breath msounds mheart mduring mexpirations m
m
How mshould m1-rescuer minfant mcompressions mbe mdelivered? m- mCORRECT mANSWER--
mtwo m
m
fingers mor mtwo
mthumbs m
