ACLS practice questions and answers Start chest com-
pressions of at least
1. You find an unresponsive pt. who is not breathing. After activating 100 per min.
the emergency response system, you determine there is no pulse.
What is your next action?
Obtaining a 12 lead
2. You are evaluating a 58-year-old man with chest pain. The blood ECG.
pressure is 92/50 mm Hg, the heart rate is 92/min, the nonlabored
respiratory rate is 14 breaths/min, and the pulse oximetry reading is
97%. What assessment step is most important now?
Peripheral IV
3. What is the preferred method of access for epi ad- ministration
during cardiac arrest in most pts?
Begin chest com-
pressions.
4. An AED does not promptly analyze a rythm. What is your next step?
Administer 1mg of
5. You have completed 2 minutes of CPR. The ECG monitor displays epinephrine
the lead II rhythm below, and the patient has no pulse. Another
member of your team resumes chest compressions, and an IV is in
place. What management step is your next priority?
Resume compres-
6. During a pause in CPR, you see this lead II ECG rhythm on the sions
monitor. The patient has no pulse. What is the next action?
7. What is a common but sometimes fatal mistake in cardiac arrest Prolonged inter-
management? ruptions in chest
compressions.
8. Which action is a componant of high-quality chest comressions? Allowing complete
chest recoil
9. Which action increases the chance of successful conversion of
ventricular fibrillation? Providing quality
compressions im-
mediately before a
defibrillation at-
tempt.
1/
,10. Which situation BEST describes pulseless electrical activity? Sinus rythm with- out a
pulse
11. What is the BEST strategy for performing high-qual- ity CPR on a
patient with an advanced airway in place? Provide continuous
chest compres- sions
without paus- es and
10 ventila- tions per
12. Three minutes after witnessing a cardiac arrest, one member of your minute.
team inserts an endotracheal tube while another performs
continuous chest compres- sions. During subsequent ventilation, Chest compres- sions
you notice the presence of a waveform on the capnography screen may not be effective.
and a PETCO2 level of 8 mm Hg. What is the signifi- cance of this
finding?
13. The use of quantitative capnography in intubated patients
allows for monitor- ing
14. For the past 25 minutes, an EMS crew has attempted resuscitation of of CPR quality.
a patient who originally presented in ventricular fibrillation. After the
first shock, the ECG screen displayed asystole, which has persisted Consider terminat- ing
despite 2 doses of epinephrine, a fluid bolus, and high-quality CPR. resuscitive ef- forts
What is your next treatment? after consult- ing
medical control.
15. Which is a safe and effective practice within the defibrillation
sequence?
Be sure oxygen is not
blowing over the
patient's chest during
16. During your assessment, your patient suddenly los- es the shock.
consciousness. After calling for help and deter- mining that the
patient is not breathing, you are un- sure whether the patient has a Begin chest com-
pulse. What is your next action? pressions.
17. What is an advantage of using hands-free defibrilla- tion pads
instead of defibrillation paddles?
2/
, Hands-free pads allow
for a more rapid
defibrillation.
18. What action is recommended to help minimize inter- ruptions in Continue CPR while
chest compressions during CPR? charging the
defibrillator.
19. Which action is included in the BLS survey? Early defibrillation
20. Which drug and dose are recommended for the man- agement of a Amioderone 300mg
patient in refractory ventricular fibrilla- tion?
21. What is the appropriate interval for an interruption in chest 10 seconds or less
compressions?
22. Which of the following is a sign of effective CPR? PETCO2 e10 mm
Hg
23. What is the primary purpose of a medical emergency team (MET) or Identifying and
rapid response team (RRT)? treating early clini- cal
deterioration.
24. Which action improves the quality of chest compres- sions delivered Switch providers
during a resuscitation attempt? about every 2 min-
utes or every 5
compression cy- cles.
25. What is the appropriate ventilation strategy for an adult in 1 breath every 5-6
respiratory arrest with a pulse rate of 80/min? seconds
26. A patient presents to the emergency department with new onset of Atropine 0.5mg
dizziness and fatigue. On exam- ination, the patient's heart rate is
35/min, the blood pressure is 70/50 mm Hg, the respiratory rate is 22
breaths/min, and the oxygen saturation is 95%. What is the
appropriate first medication?
3/
pressions of at least
1. You find an unresponsive pt. who is not breathing. After activating 100 per min.
the emergency response system, you determine there is no pulse.
What is your next action?
Obtaining a 12 lead
2. You are evaluating a 58-year-old man with chest pain. The blood ECG.
pressure is 92/50 mm Hg, the heart rate is 92/min, the nonlabored
respiratory rate is 14 breaths/min, and the pulse oximetry reading is
97%. What assessment step is most important now?
Peripheral IV
3. What is the preferred method of access for epi ad- ministration
during cardiac arrest in most pts?
Begin chest com-
pressions.
4. An AED does not promptly analyze a rythm. What is your next step?
Administer 1mg of
5. You have completed 2 minutes of CPR. The ECG monitor displays epinephrine
the lead II rhythm below, and the patient has no pulse. Another
member of your team resumes chest compressions, and an IV is in
place. What management step is your next priority?
Resume compres-
6. During a pause in CPR, you see this lead II ECG rhythm on the sions
monitor. The patient has no pulse. What is the next action?
7. What is a common but sometimes fatal mistake in cardiac arrest Prolonged inter-
management? ruptions in chest
compressions.
8. Which action is a componant of high-quality chest comressions? Allowing complete
chest recoil
9. Which action increases the chance of successful conversion of
ventricular fibrillation? Providing quality
compressions im-
mediately before a
defibrillation at-
tempt.
1/
,10. Which situation BEST describes pulseless electrical activity? Sinus rythm with- out a
pulse
11. What is the BEST strategy for performing high-qual- ity CPR on a
patient with an advanced airway in place? Provide continuous
chest compres- sions
without paus- es and
10 ventila- tions per
12. Three minutes after witnessing a cardiac arrest, one member of your minute.
team inserts an endotracheal tube while another performs
continuous chest compres- sions. During subsequent ventilation, Chest compres- sions
you notice the presence of a waveform on the capnography screen may not be effective.
and a PETCO2 level of 8 mm Hg. What is the signifi- cance of this
finding?
13. The use of quantitative capnography in intubated patients
allows for monitor- ing
14. For the past 25 minutes, an EMS crew has attempted resuscitation of of CPR quality.
a patient who originally presented in ventricular fibrillation. After the
first shock, the ECG screen displayed asystole, which has persisted Consider terminat- ing
despite 2 doses of epinephrine, a fluid bolus, and high-quality CPR. resuscitive ef- forts
What is your next treatment? after consult- ing
medical control.
15. Which is a safe and effective practice within the defibrillation
sequence?
Be sure oxygen is not
blowing over the
patient's chest during
16. During your assessment, your patient suddenly los- es the shock.
consciousness. After calling for help and deter- mining that the
patient is not breathing, you are un- sure whether the patient has a Begin chest com-
pulse. What is your next action? pressions.
17. What is an advantage of using hands-free defibrilla- tion pads
instead of defibrillation paddles?
2/
, Hands-free pads allow
for a more rapid
defibrillation.
18. What action is recommended to help minimize inter- ruptions in Continue CPR while
chest compressions during CPR? charging the
defibrillator.
19. Which action is included in the BLS survey? Early defibrillation
20. Which drug and dose are recommended for the man- agement of a Amioderone 300mg
patient in refractory ventricular fibrilla- tion?
21. What is the appropriate interval for an interruption in chest 10 seconds or less
compressions?
22. Which of the following is a sign of effective CPR? PETCO2 e10 mm
Hg
23. What is the primary purpose of a medical emergency team (MET) or Identifying and
rapid response team (RRT)? treating early clini- cal
deterioration.
24. Which action improves the quality of chest compres- sions delivered Switch providers
during a resuscitation attempt? about every 2 min-
utes or every 5
compression cy- cles.
25. What is the appropriate ventilation strategy for an adult in 1 breath every 5-6
respiratory arrest with a pulse rate of 80/min? seconds
26. A patient presents to the emergency department with new onset of Atropine 0.5mg
dizziness and fatigue. On exam- ination, the patient's heart rate is
35/min, the blood pressure is 70/50 mm Hg, the respiratory rate is 22
breaths/min, and the oxygen saturation is 95%. What is the
appropriate first medication?
3/
