PALS Practice Questions and Scenarios for Pediatric
Advanced Life Support | Questions with 100% Verified
Answers | Latest Update 2026/2027
Question: How long should assessing for breathing and a pulse take?
A) no longer than 5 seconds
B) no longer than 15 seconds
C) no longer than 20 seconds
D) no longer than 10 seconds
Answer: D
Question: What should you do to check for breathing?
A) listen for lung sounds
B) look at the nose to check for nasal flaring
C) look for chest rise and fall
D) hold a mirror over the mouth, looking for condensation
Answer: C
Question: Where can you check a pulse on an infant?
Answer: Brachial
Question: Where can you check a pulse on a child?
Answer: Femoral
Question: If the child does not have normal breathing and a pulse of
64/min is present, you will need to
A) monitor
C) provide rescue breathing
D) begin CPR
Answer: B
Question: For an unwitnessed cardiac arrest, what should you do after
determining unresponsiveness and there is no breathing and
no pulse?
A) shout for help
B) provide rescue breaths
C) perform high-quality CPR for 2 minutes
D) activate the emergency response system
Answer: C
Question: The appropriate rate for compressions for children is 100 to
120/min. What is the correct depth for children?
A) approximately 4 inches (two thirds AP diameter)
B) approximately 3 inches (one half AP diameter)
C) approximately 2 inches (one third AP diameter)
Answer: C
,Question: What is the compression-to-ventilation ratio for 1 and 2
rescuer CPR for children and infants?
A) single rescuer 15-2; 2 rescuers 30-2
B) 15-2 for both
C) 30-2
D) single rescuer 30-2; 2 rescuers 15-2
Answer: D
Question: How should 1 rescuer infant compressions be delivered?
A) with 1 hand or 2 fingers
B) with 2 hands or 2 fingers
C) with 2 fingers or 2 thumbs
D) with 1 finger or 2 thumbs
Answer: C
Question: What is the preferred technique for infant compressions when
there are 2 or more rescuers present?
A) 2 finger technique
B) 1 thumb-encircling hands technique
C) 1 finger technique
D) 2 thumb encircling hands technique
Answer: D
Question: What are the 4 universal steps for operation of an AED?
Answer: 1. Turn on the AED
2. Attach pads to the patient
3. Analyze the heart rhythm
4. Deliver indicated shock
Question: If the AED indicates no shock advised, what should be the
next action?
A) call for help
B) give 2 rescue breaths
C) analyze heart rhythm again
D) start chest compressions
Answer: D
Question: What does the A-B-C in the pediatric assessment triangle
(PAT) stand for?
Answer: Appearance
Work of breathing
Circulation
,Question: When is the pediatric assessment triangle (PAT) performed to
make an initial assessment?
A) during the transfer of care
B) during the secondary assessment
C) during the primary assessment
D) during the "from the doorway" observation
Answer: D
Question: What sequence is used when caring for a seriously ill or
injured child to help determine the best treatment or
intervention? The _______, _______, ______ sequence
Answer: Evaluate, identify, and intervene
Question: The evaluate -identify-intervene sequence should be
continued until
A) the child is stable
B) the child is ready for discharge
C) interventions are provided for the child
D) the child is ready for transport
Answer: A
Question: The primary assessment includes the ABCDE approach. What
does it assess?
A) airway, breathing, circulation, disability, and exposure
B) assessment, breathing, color, disability, and exposure
C) airway, breath sounds, circulation, disability, and exposure
D) assessment, breath sounds, circulation, disability and
exposure
Answer: A
Question: How is the airway assessed?
A) heckling the pulse
B) immediately calling for help
C) determining if the airway is open/patent
D) looking for the patient to move
Answer: C
Question: In the primary assessment, how should you pen the airway of a
child who is not suspected of having a cervical spine injury?
A) with a jaw thrust
B) by flexing the neck
C) with a head tilt-chin lift
D) with endotracheal intubation
Answer: C
, Question: In infants, the abdomen may move ______ the chest
A) less than
B) more than
Answer: B
Question: What is a characteristic of normal chest rise?
A) asymmetrical during inspiration
B) symmetrical during expiration
C) asymmetrical during expiration
D) symmetrical during inspiration
Answer: D
Question: _____ is usually high-pitched breathing during inspiration,
whereas _____ is usually during expiration
Answer: Stridor, wheezing
Question: Snoring and gurgling are a result ______ airway obstruction
A) upper
B) lower
Answer: A
Question: Crackles happen during _______, and grunting happens
during______
A) inspiration, inspiration
B) expiration, expiration
C) inspiration, expiration
D) expiration, inspiration
Answer: C
Question: Oxygen saturation less than _______ indicates low oxygen
saturation, which is known as hypoxemia
A) 98%
B) 96%
C) 94%
Answer: C
Question: Pulse oximetry indicates oxygen ______ but not oxygen delivery
A) inhalation
B) levels
C) saturation
Answer: C
Question: Conditions that _______ air resistance lead to increased
respiratory______
Answer: Increase, effort
Advanced Life Support | Questions with 100% Verified
Answers | Latest Update 2026/2027
Question: How long should assessing for breathing and a pulse take?
A) no longer than 5 seconds
B) no longer than 15 seconds
C) no longer than 20 seconds
D) no longer than 10 seconds
Answer: D
Question: What should you do to check for breathing?
A) listen for lung sounds
B) look at the nose to check for nasal flaring
C) look for chest rise and fall
D) hold a mirror over the mouth, looking for condensation
Answer: C
Question: Where can you check a pulse on an infant?
Answer: Brachial
Question: Where can you check a pulse on a child?
Answer: Femoral
Question: If the child does not have normal breathing and a pulse of
64/min is present, you will need to
A) monitor
C) provide rescue breathing
D) begin CPR
Answer: B
Question: For an unwitnessed cardiac arrest, what should you do after
determining unresponsiveness and there is no breathing and
no pulse?
A) shout for help
B) provide rescue breaths
C) perform high-quality CPR for 2 minutes
D) activate the emergency response system
Answer: C
Question: The appropriate rate for compressions for children is 100 to
120/min. What is the correct depth for children?
A) approximately 4 inches (two thirds AP diameter)
B) approximately 3 inches (one half AP diameter)
C) approximately 2 inches (one third AP diameter)
Answer: C
,Question: What is the compression-to-ventilation ratio for 1 and 2
rescuer CPR for children and infants?
A) single rescuer 15-2; 2 rescuers 30-2
B) 15-2 for both
C) 30-2
D) single rescuer 30-2; 2 rescuers 15-2
Answer: D
Question: How should 1 rescuer infant compressions be delivered?
A) with 1 hand or 2 fingers
B) with 2 hands or 2 fingers
C) with 2 fingers or 2 thumbs
D) with 1 finger or 2 thumbs
Answer: C
Question: What is the preferred technique for infant compressions when
there are 2 or more rescuers present?
A) 2 finger technique
B) 1 thumb-encircling hands technique
C) 1 finger technique
D) 2 thumb encircling hands technique
Answer: D
Question: What are the 4 universal steps for operation of an AED?
Answer: 1. Turn on the AED
2. Attach pads to the patient
3. Analyze the heart rhythm
4. Deliver indicated shock
Question: If the AED indicates no shock advised, what should be the
next action?
A) call for help
B) give 2 rescue breaths
C) analyze heart rhythm again
D) start chest compressions
Answer: D
Question: What does the A-B-C in the pediatric assessment triangle
(PAT) stand for?
Answer: Appearance
Work of breathing
Circulation
,Question: When is the pediatric assessment triangle (PAT) performed to
make an initial assessment?
A) during the transfer of care
B) during the secondary assessment
C) during the primary assessment
D) during the "from the doorway" observation
Answer: D
Question: What sequence is used when caring for a seriously ill or
injured child to help determine the best treatment or
intervention? The _______, _______, ______ sequence
Answer: Evaluate, identify, and intervene
Question: The evaluate -identify-intervene sequence should be
continued until
A) the child is stable
B) the child is ready for discharge
C) interventions are provided for the child
D) the child is ready for transport
Answer: A
Question: The primary assessment includes the ABCDE approach. What
does it assess?
A) airway, breathing, circulation, disability, and exposure
B) assessment, breathing, color, disability, and exposure
C) airway, breath sounds, circulation, disability, and exposure
D) assessment, breath sounds, circulation, disability and
exposure
Answer: A
Question: How is the airway assessed?
A) heckling the pulse
B) immediately calling for help
C) determining if the airway is open/patent
D) looking for the patient to move
Answer: C
Question: In the primary assessment, how should you pen the airway of a
child who is not suspected of having a cervical spine injury?
A) with a jaw thrust
B) by flexing the neck
C) with a head tilt-chin lift
D) with endotracheal intubation
Answer: C
, Question: In infants, the abdomen may move ______ the chest
A) less than
B) more than
Answer: B
Question: What is a characteristic of normal chest rise?
A) asymmetrical during inspiration
B) symmetrical during expiration
C) asymmetrical during expiration
D) symmetrical during inspiration
Answer: D
Question: _____ is usually high-pitched breathing during inspiration,
whereas _____ is usually during expiration
Answer: Stridor, wheezing
Question: Snoring and gurgling are a result ______ airway obstruction
A) upper
B) lower
Answer: A
Question: Crackles happen during _______, and grunting happens
during______
A) inspiration, inspiration
B) expiration, expiration
C) inspiration, expiration
D) expiration, inspiration
Answer: C
Question: Oxygen saturation less than _______ indicates low oxygen
saturation, which is known as hypoxemia
A) 98%
B) 96%
C) 94%
Answer: C
Question: Pulse oximetry indicates oxygen ______ but not oxygen delivery
A) inhalation
B) levels
C) saturation
Answer: C
Question: Conditions that _______ air resistance lead to increased
respiratory______
Answer: Increase, effort