ACLS FINAL TEST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. You are evaluating a 58-year-old man with chest discomfort. His blood pressure is 92/50
mm Hg, his heart rate is 92/min, his nonlabored respiratory rate is 14 breaths/min, and his
pulse oximetry reading is 97%. Which assessment step is most important now?
Answer: C) Obtaining a 12-lead ECG.
2. A patient in respiratory distress and with a blood pressure of 70/50 mmHg presents
with the lead IIECG rhythm shown here. Which is the appropriate treatment?
Answer: B) Performing synchronized cardioversion.
3. During post-cardiac arrest care, which is the recommended durationof targeted
temperature management after reaching the correct temperaturerange?
Answer: B) At least 24 hours.
4. Three minutes into a cardiac resuscitation attempt, one member of yourteam inserts an
endotracheal tube while another performs chest compressions. Capnography shows a
persistent waveform and a PETCO2 of 8 mmHg.Which is the significance of this finding?
Answer: A) Chest compressions may not be effective.
5. Which is the recommended oral dose of aspirin for a patient with asuspected acute
coronary syndrome?
Answer: C) 160 to 325 mg.
6. A team member is unable to perform an assigned task because it is beyond the team
member's scope of practice. Which action should the teammember take?
Answer: A) Ask for a new task or role.
7. As the team leader, when do you tell the chest compressors to switch?-
Answer: B) About every 2 minutes.
8. You are performing chest compressions during an adult resuscitation attempt. Whichrate
should you use to perform the compressions?
Answer: C) 100 to120/min.
9. A patient is being resuscitated in a very noisy environment. A team member thinks he
heard an order for 500 mg of amiodarone IV. Which is thebest response?
Answer: D) I have an order to give 500 mg of amiodarone IV.
10. A patient in stable narrow-complex tachycardia with a peripheral IV in place is
refractory to the first dose of adenosine. Which dose would youadminister next?
Answer: B) 12 mg.
11. A patient has a witnessed loss of consciousness. The lead II ECGreveals this rhythm.
Which is the appropriate treatment?
, Answer: C) Defibrillation
12. Which of these tests should be performed for a patient with suspectedstroke within 25
minutes of hospital arrival?
Answer: D) Noncontrast CT scan of the head.
13. What is the minimum systolic blood pressure one should attempt to achieve with fluid
administration or vasoactive agents in a hypotensive post-cardiac arrest patient who achieves
return of spontaneous circulation?-
Answer: D) 90 mm Hg.
14. Which type of atrioventricular block best describes this rhythm?
Answer: C)Second-degree type II
15. Your patient is in cardiac arrest and has been intubated.To assess CPRquality, which
should you do?
Answer: A) Monitor the patient's PETCO2
16. Which facility is the most appropriate EMS destination for a patient with sudden cardiac
who achieved return of spontaneous circulation in thefield?
Answer: D) Coronary reperfusion-capable medical center
17. Which of the following signs is a likely indicator of cardiac arrest in anunresponsive
patient?
Answer: C) Agonal gasps
18. Which type of atrioventricular block best describes this rhythm?
Answer: B)Second-degree atrioventricular block type I
19. To properly ventilate a patient with a perfusing rhythm, how often do yousqueeze the
bag?
Answer: B) Once every 5 to 6 seconds.
20. In addition to clinical assessment, which is the most reliable method to confirm and
monitor correct placement of an endotracheal tube?
Answer: C) Continuous waveform capnography
21. You are caring for a patient with a suspected stroke whose symptoms started 2 hours
ago. The CT scan was normal, with no signs of hemorrhage. The patient does not have any
contraindications to fibrinolytic therapy.Whichtreatment is the best for this patient?
Answer: B) Start fibrinolytic therapy as soon as possible.
22. Which best describes this rhythm?
Answer: D) Third-degree atrioventricular block.
1. You are evaluating a 58-year-old man with chest discomfort. His blood pressure is 92/50
mm Hg, his heart rate is 92/min, his nonlabored respiratory rate is 14 breaths/min, and his
pulse oximetry reading is 97%. Which assessment step is most important now?
Answer: C) Obtaining a 12-lead ECG.
2. A patient in respiratory distress and with a blood pressure of 70/50 mmHg presents
with the lead IIECG rhythm shown here. Which is the appropriate treatment?
Answer: B) Performing synchronized cardioversion.
3. During post-cardiac arrest care, which is the recommended durationof targeted
temperature management after reaching the correct temperaturerange?
Answer: B) At least 24 hours.
4. Three minutes into a cardiac resuscitation attempt, one member of yourteam inserts an
endotracheal tube while another performs chest compressions. Capnography shows a
persistent waveform and a PETCO2 of 8 mmHg.Which is the significance of this finding?
Answer: A) Chest compressions may not be effective.
5. Which is the recommended oral dose of aspirin for a patient with asuspected acute
coronary syndrome?
Answer: C) 160 to 325 mg.
6. A team member is unable to perform an assigned task because it is beyond the team
member's scope of practice. Which action should the teammember take?
Answer: A) Ask for a new task or role.
7. As the team leader, when do you tell the chest compressors to switch?-
Answer: B) About every 2 minutes.
8. You are performing chest compressions during an adult resuscitation attempt. Whichrate
should you use to perform the compressions?
Answer: C) 100 to120/min.
9. A patient is being resuscitated in a very noisy environment. A team member thinks he
heard an order for 500 mg of amiodarone IV. Which is thebest response?
Answer: D) I have an order to give 500 mg of amiodarone IV.
10. A patient in stable narrow-complex tachycardia with a peripheral IV in place is
refractory to the first dose of adenosine. Which dose would youadminister next?
Answer: B) 12 mg.
11. A patient has a witnessed loss of consciousness. The lead II ECGreveals this rhythm.
Which is the appropriate treatment?
, Answer: C) Defibrillation
12. Which of these tests should be performed for a patient with suspectedstroke within 25
minutes of hospital arrival?
Answer: D) Noncontrast CT scan of the head.
13. What is the minimum systolic blood pressure one should attempt to achieve with fluid
administration or vasoactive agents in a hypotensive post-cardiac arrest patient who achieves
return of spontaneous circulation?-
Answer: D) 90 mm Hg.
14. Which type of atrioventricular block best describes this rhythm?
Answer: C)Second-degree type II
15. Your patient is in cardiac arrest and has been intubated.To assess CPRquality, which
should you do?
Answer: A) Monitor the patient's PETCO2
16. Which facility is the most appropriate EMS destination for a patient with sudden cardiac
who achieved return of spontaneous circulation in thefield?
Answer: D) Coronary reperfusion-capable medical center
17. Which of the following signs is a likely indicator of cardiac arrest in anunresponsive
patient?
Answer: C) Agonal gasps
18. Which type of atrioventricular block best describes this rhythm?
Answer: B)Second-degree atrioventricular block type I
19. To properly ventilate a patient with a perfusing rhythm, how often do yousqueeze the
bag?
Answer: B) Once every 5 to 6 seconds.
20. In addition to clinical assessment, which is the most reliable method to confirm and
monitor correct placement of an endotracheal tube?
Answer: C) Continuous waveform capnography
21. You are caring for a patient with a suspected stroke whose symptoms started 2 hours
ago. The CT scan was normal, with no signs of hemorrhage. The patient does not have any
contraindications to fibrinolytic therapy.Whichtreatment is the best for this patient?
Answer: B) Start fibrinolytic therapy as soon as possible.
22. Which best describes this rhythm?
Answer: D) Third-degree atrioventricular block.
