PALS POST TEST EXAM /ACTUAL PALS POST TEST EXAM TEST
BANK 2026/2027 PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND STUDY GUIDE
ACCURATE EXAM COMPLETE REAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES (100% CORRECT
VERIFIED SOLUTIONS) CURRENTLY UPDATED VERSION 2026
EDITION |GUARANTEED SUCCESS A+ |FULL REVISED PALS POST
TEST REAL EXAM |JUST RELEASED
1. A 6-month-old infant is unresponsive. You begin checking for
breathing at the same time you check for the infant's pulse. Which is
the maximum time you should spend when trying to simultaneously
check for breathing and palpate the infant's pulse before starting
CPR?
A) 5 seconds
B) 8 seconds
C) 10 seconds
D) 15 seconds
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: According to PALS guidelines, when checking for
breathing and pulse simultaneously in an unresponsive infant or
child, the healthcare provider should take no more than 10 seconds
to assess both. If the infant is not breathing or only gasping and has
no pulse felt within 10 seconds, CPR should be initiated
immediately.
,2. A 4-year-old child is brought to the emergency department for
seizures. The seizures stopped a few minutes ago, but the child
continues to have slow and irregular respirations. Which condition is
most consistent with your assessment?
A) Central nervous system infection
B) Metabolic acidosis
C) Disordered Control of Breathing
D) Airway obstruction
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Post-ictal state with slow and irregular respirations
indicates disordered control of breathing, which is a dysfunction of
the brainstem's respiratory centers. This can occur after seizures,
head trauma, or increased intracranial pressure.
3. An 8-year-old child is brought to the emergency department with a
2-day history of lethargy and polyuria. The child has new onset
rapid, deep, and labored breathing. Which diagnostic test should you
order first?
A) Serum electrolytes
B) Arterial blood gas
C) Blood glucose
,D) Complete blood count
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The presentation of lethargy, polyuria, and rapid deep
breathing (Kussmaul respirations) is classic for diabetic ketoacidosis
(DKA). The first diagnostic test should be blood glucose to confirm
or rule out hyperglycemia.
4. After rectal administration of diazepam, an 8-year-old boy with a
history of seizures is now unresponsive to painful stimuli. His
respirations are shallow at a rate of 10/min. His oxygen saturation is
94% on 2L of nasal cannula oxygen. On examination, the child is
snoring with poor chest rise and poor air entry bilaterally. What
action should you take next?
A) Administer naloxone
B) Intubate immediately
C) Reposition the patient, and insert an oral airway
D) Increase oxygen to 15 L/min via nonrebreather
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The snoring sound indicates partial upper airway
obstruction from the tongue falling back, common in patients with
decreased level of consciousness. Repositioning the airway (head tilt-
, chin lift or jaw thrust) and inserting an oropharyngeal airway is the
appropriate next step to relieve the obstruction.
5. After rectal administration of diazepam, an 8-year-old boy with a
history of seizures is now unresponsive to painful stimuli. His
respirations are shallow at a rate of 10/min. After repositioning the
patient and inserting an oral airway, the patient continues to
deteriorate. What next step is the most appropriate?
A) Administer flumazenil
B) Perform endotracheal intubation
C) Provide bag-mask ventilation
D) Administer another dose of diazepam
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: If airway repositioning and an oral airway do not improve
ventilation, bag-mask ventilation should be initiated. The patient has
respiratory depression (rate of 10/min) with inadequate ventilation,
requiring positive pressure ventilation.
6. A 6-year-old child is found unresponsive, not breathing, and
without a pulse. One healthcare worker leaves to activate the
emergency response system and get the resuscitation equipment.
You and another healthcare provider immediately begin CPR.
Which compression-to-ventilation ratio do you use?
BANK 2026/2027 PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND STUDY GUIDE
ACCURATE EXAM COMPLETE REAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES (100% CORRECT
VERIFIED SOLUTIONS) CURRENTLY UPDATED VERSION 2026
EDITION |GUARANTEED SUCCESS A+ |FULL REVISED PALS POST
TEST REAL EXAM |JUST RELEASED
1. A 6-month-old infant is unresponsive. You begin checking for
breathing at the same time you check for the infant's pulse. Which is
the maximum time you should spend when trying to simultaneously
check for breathing and palpate the infant's pulse before starting
CPR?
A) 5 seconds
B) 8 seconds
C) 10 seconds
D) 15 seconds
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: According to PALS guidelines, when checking for
breathing and pulse simultaneously in an unresponsive infant or
child, the healthcare provider should take no more than 10 seconds
to assess both. If the infant is not breathing or only gasping and has
no pulse felt within 10 seconds, CPR should be initiated
immediately.
,2. A 4-year-old child is brought to the emergency department for
seizures. The seizures stopped a few minutes ago, but the child
continues to have slow and irregular respirations. Which condition is
most consistent with your assessment?
A) Central nervous system infection
B) Metabolic acidosis
C) Disordered Control of Breathing
D) Airway obstruction
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Post-ictal state with slow and irregular respirations
indicates disordered control of breathing, which is a dysfunction of
the brainstem's respiratory centers. This can occur after seizures,
head trauma, or increased intracranial pressure.
3. An 8-year-old child is brought to the emergency department with a
2-day history of lethargy and polyuria. The child has new onset
rapid, deep, and labored breathing. Which diagnostic test should you
order first?
A) Serum electrolytes
B) Arterial blood gas
C) Blood glucose
,D) Complete blood count
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The presentation of lethargy, polyuria, and rapid deep
breathing (Kussmaul respirations) is classic for diabetic ketoacidosis
(DKA). The first diagnostic test should be blood glucose to confirm
or rule out hyperglycemia.
4. After rectal administration of diazepam, an 8-year-old boy with a
history of seizures is now unresponsive to painful stimuli. His
respirations are shallow at a rate of 10/min. His oxygen saturation is
94% on 2L of nasal cannula oxygen. On examination, the child is
snoring with poor chest rise and poor air entry bilaterally. What
action should you take next?
A) Administer naloxone
B) Intubate immediately
C) Reposition the patient, and insert an oral airway
D) Increase oxygen to 15 L/min via nonrebreather
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The snoring sound indicates partial upper airway
obstruction from the tongue falling back, common in patients with
decreased level of consciousness. Repositioning the airway (head tilt-
, chin lift or jaw thrust) and inserting an oropharyngeal airway is the
appropriate next step to relieve the obstruction.
5. After rectal administration of diazepam, an 8-year-old boy with a
history of seizures is now unresponsive to painful stimuli. His
respirations are shallow at a rate of 10/min. After repositioning the
patient and inserting an oral airway, the patient continues to
deteriorate. What next step is the most appropriate?
A) Administer flumazenil
B) Perform endotracheal intubation
C) Provide bag-mask ventilation
D) Administer another dose of diazepam
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: If airway repositioning and an oral airway do not improve
ventilation, bag-mask ventilation should be initiated. The patient has
respiratory depression (rate of 10/min) with inadequate ventilation,
requiring positive pressure ventilation.
6. A 6-year-old child is found unresponsive, not breathing, and
without a pulse. One healthcare worker leaves to activate the
emergency response system and get the resuscitation equipment.
You and another healthcare provider immediately begin CPR.
Which compression-to-ventilation ratio do you use?
