ARC PALS FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
A healthcare provider is performing a primary assessment of a child in respiratory distress. The provider documents increased work of breathing when which findings are observed - Answer-Sternal Retractions
Nasal Flaring
Accessory Muscle Use
A 12-year-old child being evaluated in the pediatric intensive care unit displays the following ECG waveform. The team interprets this as which arrhythmia - Answer-
Second-degree AV Block, type 1
An 11-year-old child develops unstable wide-complex tachycardia. Assessment reveals signs of significant hemodynamic compromise, but the child has a pulse. The PALS team would prepare the child for which intervention - Answer-Synchronized Electrical Cardioversion
A 4-year-old patient presents with tachycardia, tachypnea, cold extremities and weak pulses. Assessment also reveals an enlarged liver and neck vein distension. The provider interprets these assessment findings as suggesting which type of shock - Answer-Cardiogenic
A 9-year-old patient is presenting with decreased breath sounds, bradycardia, slowed respiratory rate and a low O2 saturation level. The provider interprets these findings as indicating which condition - Answer-Respiratory Failure
Which action would the PALS team initiate to manage increased intracranial pressure in
a pediatric patient - Answer-Maintain the head in midline position with 30-degree elevation
A child in the pediatric step-down unit is exhibiting signs of respiratory distress. When assessing this child, which circulation finding might be present - Answer-Pallor
A child is experiencing shock. The emergency response team prepares for imminent cardiac arrest when assessment reveals which finding(s) - Answer-Hypotension
Diminished central pulses
Bradycardia
A 12-year-old is being treated in the urgent care clinic. The mother reports that the child came home from school yesterday with a high fever, vomiting and multiple episodes of watery diarrhea. The healthcare provider obtains a rhythm strip and notes the following waveform. The provider interprets this as which type of arrhythmia - Answer-Sinus Tachycardia A 4-year-old child suddenly collapses in the playroom of the facility. A healthcare provider observes the event and hurries over to assess the child. The healthcare provider completes which assessment first - Answer-Rapid Assessment
A 2-year-old child arrives at the emergency department with the parents. The child is unresponsive, is not breathing and has no pulse. Two emergency department providers begin high-quality CPR. Which action(s) by the providers demonstrates high-quality CPR - Answer-Providing ventilations that last about 1 sec each
Compressing the chest about 2 inches
Giving 2 ventilations to every 15 compressions
Allowing full recoil after compression
A 5-year-old child with a history of a chronic neuromuscular disease is experiencing respiratory distress. The child is breathing spontaneously and receiving supplemental oxygen. Which additional intervention is a critical component of airway management for this patient - Answer-Airway clearance
Primary assessment of a 10-year-old child reveals septic shock. As part of the secondary assessment, laboratory testing is completed to evaluate the child's status. Which laboratory tests would be ordered for this child - Answer-Lactate level
CBC
Blood cultures
A child in the pediatric intensive care unit displays the following ECG waveform. The child has no pulse. The resuscitation team interprets this as which arrhythmia - Answer-
Monomorphic pVT
A 2-year-old child of unknown weight arrives at the emergency department in cardiac arrest. When preparing to administer medications, which action would be appropriate for
the team to take - Answer-Estimate weight using length-based resuscitation tape
Assessment of a 7-year-old patient with septic shock reveals capillary refill of 3 seconds, diminished pulses, narrow pulse pressure and cool, mottled extremities. The emergency response team interprets these findings as indicating which type of septic shock - Answer-Cold
A PALS resuscitation team is preparing to defibrillate a child experiencing cardiac arrest. For which rhythm(s) would this action be appropriate - Answer-pVT
VF
A 2-year-old child is brought to the pediatric urgent care clinic by the parent who says that the child has had a barking cough for two days. During the rapid assessment of the child, the provider hears audible inspiratory stridor. Which common cause of partial upper airway obstruction in children would the provider most likely suspect - Answer-
Croup
A healthcare provider is performing a primary assessment of a child in respiratory distress. The provider documents increased work of breathing when which findings are observed - Answer-Sternal Retractions
Nasal Flaring
Accessory Muscle Use
A 12-year-old child being evaluated in the pediatric intensive care unit displays the following ECG waveform. The team interprets this as which arrhythmia - Answer-
Second-degree AV Block, type 1
An 11-year-old child develops unstable wide-complex tachycardia. Assessment reveals signs of significant hemodynamic compromise, but the child has a pulse. The PALS team would prepare the child for which intervention - Answer-Synchronized Electrical Cardioversion
A 4-year-old patient presents with tachycardia, tachypnea, cold extremities and weak pulses. Assessment also reveals an enlarged liver and neck vein distension. The provider interprets these assessment findings as suggesting which type of shock - Answer-Cardiogenic
A 9-year-old patient is presenting with decreased breath sounds, bradycardia, slowed respiratory rate and a low O2 saturation level. The provider interprets these findings as indicating which condition - Answer-Respiratory Failure
Which action would the PALS team initiate to manage increased intracranial pressure in
a pediatric patient - Answer-Maintain the head in midline position with 30-degree elevation
A child in the pediatric step-down unit is exhibiting signs of respiratory distress. When assessing this child, which circulation finding might be present - Answer-Pallor
A child is experiencing shock. The emergency response team prepares for imminent cardiac arrest when assessment reveals which finding(s) - Answer-Hypotension
Diminished central pulses
Bradycardia
A 12-year-old is being treated in the urgent care clinic. The mother reports that the child came home from school yesterday with a high fever, vomiting and multiple episodes of watery diarrhea. The healthcare provider obtains a rhythm strip and notes the following waveform. The provider interprets this as which type of arrhythmia - Answer-Sinus Tachycardia A 4-year-old child suddenly collapses in the playroom of the facility. A healthcare provider observes the event and hurries over to assess the child. The healthcare provider completes which assessment first - Answer-Rapid Assessment
A 2-year-old child arrives at the emergency department with the parents. The child is unresponsive, is not breathing and has no pulse. Two emergency department providers begin high-quality CPR. Which action(s) by the providers demonstrates high-quality CPR - Answer-Providing ventilations that last about 1 sec each
Compressing the chest about 2 inches
Giving 2 ventilations to every 15 compressions
Allowing full recoil after compression
A 5-year-old child with a history of a chronic neuromuscular disease is experiencing respiratory distress. The child is breathing spontaneously and receiving supplemental oxygen. Which additional intervention is a critical component of airway management for this patient - Answer-Airway clearance
Primary assessment of a 10-year-old child reveals septic shock. As part of the secondary assessment, laboratory testing is completed to evaluate the child's status. Which laboratory tests would be ordered for this child - Answer-Lactate level
CBC
Blood cultures
A child in the pediatric intensive care unit displays the following ECG waveform. The child has no pulse. The resuscitation team interprets this as which arrhythmia - Answer-
Monomorphic pVT
A 2-year-old child of unknown weight arrives at the emergency department in cardiac arrest. When preparing to administer medications, which action would be appropriate for
the team to take - Answer-Estimate weight using length-based resuscitation tape
Assessment of a 7-year-old patient with septic shock reveals capillary refill of 3 seconds, diminished pulses, narrow pulse pressure and cool, mottled extremities. The emergency response team interprets these findings as indicating which type of septic shock - Answer-Cold
A PALS resuscitation team is preparing to defibrillate a child experiencing cardiac arrest. For which rhythm(s) would this action be appropriate - Answer-pVT
VF
A 2-year-old child is brought to the pediatric urgent care clinic by the parent who says that the child has had a barking cough for two days. During the rapid assessment of the child, the provider hears audible inspiratory stridor. Which common cause of partial upper airway obstruction in children would the provider most likely suspect - Answer-
Croup
