ACLS Exam Questions and Complete Solutions
What are signs of clinical deterioration that would prompt activation of the rapid response system? - Correct Ans: -unexplained agitation
-seizure
-symptomatic hypertension
What happens when teams rapidly assess and intervene when a patient's vital signs are abnormal? - Correct Ans: The number of in-hospital cardiac arrests decreases
What is the maximum amount of time you should simultaneously perform pulse and breathing checks? -
Correct Ans: 10 seconds
The BLS assessment is a systematic approach to BLS for trained healthcare providers. This approach stresses - Correct Ans: early CPR and defibrilliation
While performing the BLS assessment, you initiate high-quality CPR and assist ventilation with a bag-
mask device. The AED does not recommend a shock. What action in the primary assessment should you perform first? - Correct Ans: Determine if the patient's airway is patent
The initial assessment reveals a conscious patient. The patient's airway is patent, and an advanced airway is not indicated.
What action in the primary assessment should you perform next? - Correct Ans: Administer oxygen as needed
What action is part of the secondary assessment of a conscious patient? - Correct Ans: Formulate a differential diagnosis
What are the "H" causes of reversible cardiac arrest? - Correct Ans: Hypoxia Hypothermia
Hypovolemia
Hyperkalemia/hypokalemia
Acidosis
What are the "T" causes of reversible cardiac arrest? - Correct Ans: Tension pneumothorax
Cardiac tamponade
Coronary thrombosis
Pulmonary thrombosis
Toxins
What is the most common symptom of myocardial ischemia and infaction? - Correct Ans: Retrosternal chest pain
What is the time goal for how quickly you should complete a fibrinolytic checklist once the patient arrives in the emergency department? - Correct Ans: 10 minutes
What class of medications commonly given to patients with acute coronary syndromes may be adversely
affected by morphine administration? - Correct Ans: Oral antiplatelet medications
You obtain a 12-lead ECG in a patient with retrosternal chest pain. What electrocardiographic finding is suggestive of high-risk non=ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome? - Correct Ans: Dynamic T-
wave inversion
What clinical finding represents a contraindication to the administration of nitroglycerin? - Correct Ans: Confirmed right ventricular infarction
Within the first 10 minutes, on the basis of the patient showing symptoms suggestive of myocardial ischemia, what would you first actions include? - Correct Ans: -Administer aspirin
-If considering prehospital fibrinolysis, use the fibrinolytic checklist
-Provide prehospital notification to the receiving hospital
What are signs of clinical deterioration that would prompt activation of the rapid response system? - Correct Ans: -unexplained agitation
-seizure
-symptomatic hypertension
What happens when teams rapidly assess and intervene when a patient's vital signs are abnormal? - Correct Ans: The number of in-hospital cardiac arrests decreases
What is the maximum amount of time you should simultaneously perform pulse and breathing checks? -
Correct Ans: 10 seconds
The BLS assessment is a systematic approach to BLS for trained healthcare providers. This approach stresses - Correct Ans: early CPR and defibrilliation
While performing the BLS assessment, you initiate high-quality CPR and assist ventilation with a bag-
mask device. The AED does not recommend a shock. What action in the primary assessment should you perform first? - Correct Ans: Determine if the patient's airway is patent
The initial assessment reveals a conscious patient. The patient's airway is patent, and an advanced airway is not indicated.
What action in the primary assessment should you perform next? - Correct Ans: Administer oxygen as needed
What action is part of the secondary assessment of a conscious patient? - Correct Ans: Formulate a differential diagnosis
What are the "H" causes of reversible cardiac arrest? - Correct Ans: Hypoxia Hypothermia
Hypovolemia
Hyperkalemia/hypokalemia
Acidosis
What are the "T" causes of reversible cardiac arrest? - Correct Ans: Tension pneumothorax
Cardiac tamponade
Coronary thrombosis
Pulmonary thrombosis
Toxins
What is the most common symptom of myocardial ischemia and infaction? - Correct Ans: Retrosternal chest pain
What is the time goal for how quickly you should complete a fibrinolytic checklist once the patient arrives in the emergency department? - Correct Ans: 10 minutes
What class of medications commonly given to patients with acute coronary syndromes may be adversely
affected by morphine administration? - Correct Ans: Oral antiplatelet medications
You obtain a 12-lead ECG in a patient with retrosternal chest pain. What electrocardiographic finding is suggestive of high-risk non=ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome? - Correct Ans: Dynamic T-
wave inversion
What clinical finding represents a contraindication to the administration of nitroglycerin? - Correct Ans: Confirmed right ventricular infarction
Within the first 10 minutes, on the basis of the patient showing symptoms suggestive of myocardial ischemia, what would you first actions include? - Correct Ans: -Administer aspirin
-If considering prehospital fibrinolysis, use the fibrinolytic checklist
-Provide prehospital notification to the receiving hospital
