ACLS Final Exams Questions and Answers
A patient experiences cardiac arrest, and the resuscitation team initiates ventilations using a bag-valve-
mask (BVM) resuscitator. The development of which condition during the provision of care would lead
the team to suspect that improper BVM technique is being used?
Hypertension
Esophageal injury
Pneumothorax
Rib fracture Correct Answers Pneumothorax
Complications can occur with the use of a BVM resuscitator due to improper technique. Delivering
excessive volume or ventilating too fast creates excessive pressure that can damage the airways, lungs
and other organs. Excessive volume can lead to tension pneumothorax.
A person suddenly collapses while sitting in the sunroom of a healthcare facility. A healthcare provider
observes the event and hurries over to assess the situation. The healthcare provider performs which
assessment first?
Rapid assessment
Basic life support assessment
Secondary assessment
Primary assessment Correct Answers Rapid assessment
A systematic approach to assessment is necessary. The healthcare provider should first perform a rapid
assessment. A rapid assessment is a visual survey to ensure safety, form an initial impression about the
patient's condition (including looking for life-threatening bleeding), and determine the need for
additional resources. This would be followed by a primary assessment and then a secondary assessment.
A patient is receiving ventilation support via bag-valve-mask (BVM) resuscitator. Capnography is
established and a blood gas is obtained to evaluate the adequacy of the ventilations. Which arterial
carbon dioxide (PaCO2) value signifies adequate ventilations?
,10 to 15 mmHg
20 to 25 mmHg
25 to 30 mmHg
35 to 45 mmHg Correct Answers 35 to 45 mmHg
Arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2) values in the range of 35 to 45 mmHg confirm adequacy of ventilation.
A resuscitation team is debriefing following a recent event. A patient experienced cardiac arrest, and
advanced life support was initiated. The patient required the placement of an advanced airway to
maintain airway patency. Which statement indicates that the team performed high-quality CPR?
"We initiated chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 110 per minute to a depth of 2.4 inches and then
gave 1 ventilation every 10 seconds."
"We provided chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute while giving 1
ventilation every 6 seconds without pausing compressions."
"We provided chest compressions at a rate of 80 to 120 per minute to a depth of at least 2 inches and
gave 1 ventilation every 6 seconds without pausing compressions."
"We kept the rate of chest compressions to around 100 per minute but adjusted their depth to 1.5
inches while giving 1 ventilation every 3 seconds without pausing compression Correct Answers "We
provided chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute while giving 1 ventilation
every 6 seconds without pausing compressions."
When an advanced airway has been placed in a patient who is in cardiac arrest, compressions should be
delivered continuously (100 to 120 per minute) with no pauses for ventilations.
Assessment of a patient reveals an ETCO2 level of 55 mmHg and an arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2)
level of 88%. The provider would interpret these findings as indicative of which condition?
Respiratory failure
Respiratory arrest
Cardiac arrest
Respiratory distress Correct Answers Respiratory failure
, An SaO2 level of less than 90% (PaO2 of less than 50 mmHg) accompanied by ETCO2 values greater than
50 mmHg is indicative of respiratory failure.
A responsive patient is choking. What method should the provider use first to clear the obstructed
airway?
Back blows
Abdominal thrusts
Magill forceps extraction
Chest compressions Correct Answers Back blows
To clear an obstructed airway in a responsive adult, first provide up to 5 back blows to clear the
obstruction.
A patient arrives at the emergency department complaining of shortness of breath. The patient has a
long history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Assessment reveals respiratory failure. Which
action would be the initial priority to address the respiratory failure?
Establishment of vascular access
Delivery of supplemental oxygen via nasal cannula
Assisted ventilation with BVM resuscitator
Initiation of capnography Correct Answers Assisted ventilation with BVM resuscitator
Patients who cannot ventilate adequately despite an open airway or who have insufficient respiratory
effort require assisted ventilation initially provided via a BVM resuscitator.
A 20-year-old man with respiratory depression is brought to the emergency department by his parents.
Opioid overdose is suspected, and an initial dose of naloxone is administered at 10 p.m. The patient does
not respond to this initial dose. The team would expect to administer a second dose after how many
minutes?
A patient experiences cardiac arrest, and the resuscitation team initiates ventilations using a bag-valve-
mask (BVM) resuscitator. The development of which condition during the provision of care would lead
the team to suspect that improper BVM technique is being used?
Hypertension
Esophageal injury
Pneumothorax
Rib fracture Correct Answers Pneumothorax
Complications can occur with the use of a BVM resuscitator due to improper technique. Delivering
excessive volume or ventilating too fast creates excessive pressure that can damage the airways, lungs
and other organs. Excessive volume can lead to tension pneumothorax.
A person suddenly collapses while sitting in the sunroom of a healthcare facility. A healthcare provider
observes the event and hurries over to assess the situation. The healthcare provider performs which
assessment first?
Rapid assessment
Basic life support assessment
Secondary assessment
Primary assessment Correct Answers Rapid assessment
A systematic approach to assessment is necessary. The healthcare provider should first perform a rapid
assessment. A rapid assessment is a visual survey to ensure safety, form an initial impression about the
patient's condition (including looking for life-threatening bleeding), and determine the need for
additional resources. This would be followed by a primary assessment and then a secondary assessment.
A patient is receiving ventilation support via bag-valve-mask (BVM) resuscitator. Capnography is
established and a blood gas is obtained to evaluate the adequacy of the ventilations. Which arterial
carbon dioxide (PaCO2) value signifies adequate ventilations?
,10 to 15 mmHg
20 to 25 mmHg
25 to 30 mmHg
35 to 45 mmHg Correct Answers 35 to 45 mmHg
Arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2) values in the range of 35 to 45 mmHg confirm adequacy of ventilation.
A resuscitation team is debriefing following a recent event. A patient experienced cardiac arrest, and
advanced life support was initiated. The patient required the placement of an advanced airway to
maintain airway patency. Which statement indicates that the team performed high-quality CPR?
"We initiated chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 110 per minute to a depth of 2.4 inches and then
gave 1 ventilation every 10 seconds."
"We provided chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute while giving 1
ventilation every 6 seconds without pausing compressions."
"We provided chest compressions at a rate of 80 to 120 per minute to a depth of at least 2 inches and
gave 1 ventilation every 6 seconds without pausing compressions."
"We kept the rate of chest compressions to around 100 per minute but adjusted their depth to 1.5
inches while giving 1 ventilation every 3 seconds without pausing compression Correct Answers "We
provided chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute while giving 1 ventilation
every 6 seconds without pausing compressions."
When an advanced airway has been placed in a patient who is in cardiac arrest, compressions should be
delivered continuously (100 to 120 per minute) with no pauses for ventilations.
Assessment of a patient reveals an ETCO2 level of 55 mmHg and an arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2)
level of 88%. The provider would interpret these findings as indicative of which condition?
Respiratory failure
Respiratory arrest
Cardiac arrest
Respiratory distress Correct Answers Respiratory failure
, An SaO2 level of less than 90% (PaO2 of less than 50 mmHg) accompanied by ETCO2 values greater than
50 mmHg is indicative of respiratory failure.
A responsive patient is choking. What method should the provider use first to clear the obstructed
airway?
Back blows
Abdominal thrusts
Magill forceps extraction
Chest compressions Correct Answers Back blows
To clear an obstructed airway in a responsive adult, first provide up to 5 back blows to clear the
obstruction.
A patient arrives at the emergency department complaining of shortness of breath. The patient has a
long history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Assessment reveals respiratory failure. Which
action would be the initial priority to address the respiratory failure?
Establishment of vascular access
Delivery of supplemental oxygen via nasal cannula
Assisted ventilation with BVM resuscitator
Initiation of capnography Correct Answers Assisted ventilation with BVM resuscitator
Patients who cannot ventilate adequately despite an open airway or who have insufficient respiratory
effort require assisted ventilation initially provided via a BVM resuscitator.
A 20-year-old man with respiratory depression is brought to the emergency department by his parents.
Opioid overdose is suspected, and an initial dose of naloxone is administered at 10 p.m. The patient does
not respond to this initial dose. The team would expect to administer a second dose after how many
minutes?
