SHARP ESO 2026 STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS GUARANTEE A+
✔✔Signs (objective): - ✔✔Tachypnea, apnea, respiratory depression, tachycardia,
bradycardia, arrhythmias, hypotension, decreased O2 saturation, dyspnea, change in
level of consciousness, increased intracranial pressure (ICP), status epilepticus
✔✔Symptoms (subjective) - ✔✔Dizziness, lightheadedness, chest pain, shortness of
breath (SOB), chest pain, weakness, cold, diaphoresis, heart palpitations, anxiousness
✔✔What is the initial treatment for asystole? - ✔✔Initiate CPR immediately
✔✔What is the recommended oxygen flow rate for a patient in asystole? - ✔✔O2 at
15L/minute ambu bag (10 breaths/minute)
✔✔What medication is administered in asystole and how often? - ✔✔Epinephrine 1mg
IVP/IO (0.1 mg/mL), repeat every 3-5 min
✔✔How frequently should pulse checks be performed during CPR for asystole? -
✔✔Every 2 minutes
✔✔What should be verified before initiating treatment for asystole? - ✔✔Verify with
pulse check and ensure that all leads are connected
✔✔Bradycardia - Initial Treatment - ✔✔1. O2 at minimum 10 L/minute (NRBM)
✔✔Bradycardia - Atropine Administration - ✔✔1. Atropine 1mg IVP/IO, repeat every 3-5
minutes up to a maximum of 3 mg
✔✔Bradycardia - Dopamine Administration - ✔✔1. Start Dopamine 400mg/250 mL D5W
at 5 mcg/kg/minute if above algorithm is ineffective. ICU or RRT RN to titrate until
patient is asymptomatic.
✔✔Bradycardia - Epinephrine Administration - ✔✔1. Start Epinephrine 2mg/250 mL NS
at 2mcg/minute if above algorithm is ineffective. Titrate to patient response up to 10
mcg/minute. (RRT or ICU RN Only)
✔✔What are common causes of Pulseless Electrical Activity (PEA)? - ✔✔Hypovolemia
and hypoxia
✔✔What is the recommended initial intervention for PEA? - ✔✔CPR
, ✔✔What mnemonic is used to assess possible causes of PEA? - ✔✔H's and T's:
Hypovolemia, hypoxia, hydrogen ion (acidosis), hypo/hyperkalemia, hypoglycemia,
hypothermia; Toxins, tamponade, thrombosis, trauma, tension pneumothorax
✔✔What is the recommended oxygen delivery method for PEA? - ✔✔O2 at 15L/minute
via ambu bag (10 breaths/minute)
✔✔What medication is administered for PEA? - ✔✔Epinephrine 1mg IVP/IO (0.1mg/ml),
repeat every 3-5 minutes
✔✔What is the next step if hypovolemia is known or suspected in PEA? - ✔✔Infuse 250
mL NS rapid bolus. Repeat in 5 minutes if no clinical improvement. If lactated ringers
(LR) already infusing, may use LR
✔✔What imaging study is recommended for PEA? - ✔✔Stat chest x-ray (CXR)
✔✔What are the criteria for stable ventricular tachycardia? - ✔✔Patient is conscious
with a systolic blood pressure (SBP) > 90 and does not have any unstable
signs/symptoms.
✔✔How should stable ventricular tachycardia be treated? - ✔✔1. Call physician for
orders. 2. Administer oxygen at a minimum of 4L/min and titrate to patient response. 3.
Obtain a 12-lead ECG. 4. Draw serum potassium (K+) and magnesium (Mg++) levels.
✔✔What are the criteria for treating unstable ventricular tachycardia (VT)? - ✔✔Patient
must be symptomatic, exhibiting one or more of the 'unstable' symptoms related to the
tachycardia.
✔✔How should unstable VT be treated? - ✔✔The patient should be immediately
cardioverted and treated with O2, synchronized cardioversion, medications like
Midazolam, 12 Lead EKG, and serum K+ and Mg++ levels should be checked.
✔✔What is the reversal agent for benzodiazepines in the context of treating unstable
VT? - ✔✔Flumazenil (Romazicon) 0.2 mg IVP over 15 seconds.
✔✔What is Ventricular Fibrillation (VF)? - ✔✔VF is characterized by disorganized
ventricular depolarization that is irregular and unable to generate any cardiac output. It
can be coarse or fine.
✔✔What is the difference between coarse VF and fine VF? - ✔✔Coarse VF usually
indicates a recent onset of VF that may be corrected with immediate defibrillation, while
fine VF indicates a more prolonged VF that is approaching asystole.
ANSWERS GUARANTEE A+
✔✔Signs (objective): - ✔✔Tachypnea, apnea, respiratory depression, tachycardia,
bradycardia, arrhythmias, hypotension, decreased O2 saturation, dyspnea, change in
level of consciousness, increased intracranial pressure (ICP), status epilepticus
✔✔Symptoms (subjective) - ✔✔Dizziness, lightheadedness, chest pain, shortness of
breath (SOB), chest pain, weakness, cold, diaphoresis, heart palpitations, anxiousness
✔✔What is the initial treatment for asystole? - ✔✔Initiate CPR immediately
✔✔What is the recommended oxygen flow rate for a patient in asystole? - ✔✔O2 at
15L/minute ambu bag (10 breaths/minute)
✔✔What medication is administered in asystole and how often? - ✔✔Epinephrine 1mg
IVP/IO (0.1 mg/mL), repeat every 3-5 min
✔✔How frequently should pulse checks be performed during CPR for asystole? -
✔✔Every 2 minutes
✔✔What should be verified before initiating treatment for asystole? - ✔✔Verify with
pulse check and ensure that all leads are connected
✔✔Bradycardia - Initial Treatment - ✔✔1. O2 at minimum 10 L/minute (NRBM)
✔✔Bradycardia - Atropine Administration - ✔✔1. Atropine 1mg IVP/IO, repeat every 3-5
minutes up to a maximum of 3 mg
✔✔Bradycardia - Dopamine Administration - ✔✔1. Start Dopamine 400mg/250 mL D5W
at 5 mcg/kg/minute if above algorithm is ineffective. ICU or RRT RN to titrate until
patient is asymptomatic.
✔✔Bradycardia - Epinephrine Administration - ✔✔1. Start Epinephrine 2mg/250 mL NS
at 2mcg/minute if above algorithm is ineffective. Titrate to patient response up to 10
mcg/minute. (RRT or ICU RN Only)
✔✔What are common causes of Pulseless Electrical Activity (PEA)? - ✔✔Hypovolemia
and hypoxia
✔✔What is the recommended initial intervention for PEA? - ✔✔CPR
, ✔✔What mnemonic is used to assess possible causes of PEA? - ✔✔H's and T's:
Hypovolemia, hypoxia, hydrogen ion (acidosis), hypo/hyperkalemia, hypoglycemia,
hypothermia; Toxins, tamponade, thrombosis, trauma, tension pneumothorax
✔✔What is the recommended oxygen delivery method for PEA? - ✔✔O2 at 15L/minute
via ambu bag (10 breaths/minute)
✔✔What medication is administered for PEA? - ✔✔Epinephrine 1mg IVP/IO (0.1mg/ml),
repeat every 3-5 minutes
✔✔What is the next step if hypovolemia is known or suspected in PEA? - ✔✔Infuse 250
mL NS rapid bolus. Repeat in 5 minutes if no clinical improvement. If lactated ringers
(LR) already infusing, may use LR
✔✔What imaging study is recommended for PEA? - ✔✔Stat chest x-ray (CXR)
✔✔What are the criteria for stable ventricular tachycardia? - ✔✔Patient is conscious
with a systolic blood pressure (SBP) > 90 and does not have any unstable
signs/symptoms.
✔✔How should stable ventricular tachycardia be treated? - ✔✔1. Call physician for
orders. 2. Administer oxygen at a minimum of 4L/min and titrate to patient response. 3.
Obtain a 12-lead ECG. 4. Draw serum potassium (K+) and magnesium (Mg++) levels.
✔✔What are the criteria for treating unstable ventricular tachycardia (VT)? - ✔✔Patient
must be symptomatic, exhibiting one or more of the 'unstable' symptoms related to the
tachycardia.
✔✔How should unstable VT be treated? - ✔✔The patient should be immediately
cardioverted and treated with O2, synchronized cardioversion, medications like
Midazolam, 12 Lead EKG, and serum K+ and Mg++ levels should be checked.
✔✔What is the reversal agent for benzodiazepines in the context of treating unstable
VT? - ✔✔Flumazenil (Romazicon) 0.2 mg IVP over 15 seconds.
✔✔What is Ventricular Fibrillation (VF)? - ✔✔VF is characterized by disorganized
ventricular depolarization that is irregular and unable to generate any cardiac output. It
can be coarse or fine.
✔✔What is the difference between coarse VF and fine VF? - ✔✔Coarse VF usually
indicates a recent onset of VF that may be corrected with immediate defibrillation, while
fine VF indicates a more prolonged VF that is approaching asystole.
