ALS/ACLS - Red Cross Final Exam
[2023-2024] Question And Answers
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 1 mg every 3 to 5 minutes
A patient with bradycardia and signs of hemodynamic compromise does not respond to atropine. Which
interventions could the healthcare provider use next? - (correct answer) -Epinephrine or dopamine
infusion
Transcutaneous pacing
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 and tall, peaked T waves
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 today I developed a fever."
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 not showing signs of hemodynamic compromise. Which
intervention would be initiated first if it does not delay other interventions? - (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. In addition to high quality
CPR, what intervention should be a priority for the team? - (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 at the initial rate 10 breaths/min and a fraction of
inspired oxygen (FiO2) of 0.30. 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 90%
2. PaCO2 48 mmHg
3. ETCO2 55 mmHg
After cardiac arrest and successful resuscitation, the patient has a return of spontaneous circulation. The
patient is unable to follow verbal commands. Targeted temperature management is initiated. Which
[2023-2024] Question And Answers
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 1 mg every 3 to 5 minutes
A patient with bradycardia and signs of hemodynamic compromise does not respond to atropine. Which
interventions could the healthcare provider use next? - (correct answer) -Epinephrine or dopamine
infusion
Transcutaneous pacing
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 and tall, peaked T waves
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 today I developed a fever."
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 not showing signs of hemodynamic compromise. Which
intervention would be initiated first if it does not delay other interventions? - (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. In addition to high quality
CPR, what intervention should be a priority for the team? - (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 at the initial rate 10 breaths/min and a fraction of
inspired oxygen (FiO2) of 0.30. 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 90%
2. PaCO2 48 mmHg
3. ETCO2 55 mmHg
After cardiac arrest and successful resuscitation, the patient has a return of spontaneous circulation. The
patient is unable to follow verbal commands. Targeted temperature management is initiated. Which
