2023 | Questions And Answers
ALS/ACLS - Red Cross Final Exam [2023]
with 100% Correct Answers 2023
The resuscitation team suspects that hyperkalemia is the cause of cardiac arrest in a
patient brought to the emergency department. Which finding on a 12-lead ECG would
confirm this suspicion? - Correct Answer-Wide-complex ventricular rhythm or tall,
pointed T waves
A patient with dyspnea and a change in mental status arrives at the emergency
department. The healthcare team completes the necessary assessments and begins to
care for the patient, including initiating cardiac monitoring, pulse oximetry, supplemental
oxygen and vascular access. The team reviews the patient's ECG rhythm strip, as
shown in the following figure. Which agent would the team most likely administer? -
Correct Answer-Atropine 0.5 mg every 4 to 5 minutes
A patient's ECG reveals a tachyarrhythmia. The patient is hemodynamically stable and
has a heart rate ranging from 120 to 135 beats per minute. Based on the findings of the
secondary assessment, which statement(s) by the patient would the team interpret as a
possible contributing cause? - Correct Answer-1. "I've had a terrible cold with a horrible
cough and fever the past week."
2. "I've been so anxious lately because I just lost my job."
3. "I've been vomiting for the past 2 days from a gastrointestinal bug."
A patient experiencing an unstable bradyarrhythmia does not respond to atropine or
transcutaneous pacing. Which intervention would the healthcare provider use next? -
Correct Answer-Administration of an epinephrine infusion
A patient's ECG reveals a narrow QRS complex with a regular rhythm, indicating a
narrow-complex supraventricular tachyarrhythmia. The patient is hemodynamically
stable. Which intervention would be initiated first? - Correct Answer-Vagal maneuvers
A patient in the telemetry unit is stable. Cardiac monitoring indicates the patient has
ventricular tachycardia with a pulse. Further assessment reveals that the corrected QT
interval is greater than 0.46 seconds. Which treatment would be appropriate at this time?
- Correct Answer-Synchronized cardioversion
, An ECG strip of a patient in the emergency department reveals the following rhythm.
Which feature would the healthcare provider interpret as indicating atrial fibrillation? -
Correct Answer-Absence of discrete P waves and presence of irregularly irregular QRS
complexes
A patient is brought into the emergency department. The patient does not have a pulse.
The cardiac monitor shows the following rhythm. The team interprets this as which
condition? - Correct Answer-Ventricular tachycardia
A patient with acute renal failure experiences cardiac arrest. Just before the cardiac
arrest, the patient's ECG showed peaked T waves. What might be causing the patient's
cardiac arrest? - Correct Answer-Hyperkalemia
A member of the resuscitation team is preparing to defibrillate a patient in cardiac arrest
using a biphasic defibrillator. The team member would set the energy dose according to
the manufacturer's recommendations, which is usually: - Correct Answer-120 to 200
joules
A member of the resuscitation team is preparing to administer medications
intravenously to a patient in cardiac arrest. The team member follows each medication
administration with a bolus of fluid. How much would the team member give? - Correct
Answer-10 to 20 mL
A 30-year-old patient has been brought to the emergency department in full cardiac
arrest. The cardiac monitor shows the following rhythm. Interpretation of this rhythm
would suggest which of the following as a possible precipitating factor? - Correct
Answer-Electrocution
Cardiac monitoring of a patient in cardiac arrest reveals ventricular fibrillation. What
intervention would the team perform next? - Correct Answer-Administer 1 shock.
A patient has experienced return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after cardiac arrest.
The healthcare team is conducting a secondary assessment to determine the possible
cause of the patient's cardiac arrest. Before the arrest, the patient exhibited jugular
venous distension, cyanosis, apnea and hyperresonance on percussion. The patient
was also difficult to ventilate during the response. The team would most likely suspect
which condition as the cause? - Correct Answer-Tension pneumothorax
A patient in cardiac arrest experiences return of spontaneous circulation. As part of
post-cardiac arrest care, the patient is receiving mechanical ventilation. Which finding(s)
would indicate the need for change in the ventilator settings to optimize the patient's
ventilation and oxygenation? - Correct Answer-1. SaO2 92%
2. PaCO2 35 mmHg
3. ETCO2 50 mmHg