ALS/ACLS - RED CROSS FINAL EXAM
2024 WITH 100% CORRECT ANSWERS
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 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 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'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
2024 WITH 100% CORRECT ANSWERS
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 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 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'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
