ACLS Written Exam
Start chest compressions of at least 100 per min. - answers✔✔You find an unresponsive pt. who is not
breathing. After activating the emergency response system, you determine there is no pulse. What is
your next action?
Obtaining a 12 lead ECG. - answers✔✔You are evaluating a 58-year-old man with chest pain. The blood
pressure is 92/50 mm Hg, the heart rate is 92/min, the nonlabored respiratory rate is 14 breaths/min,
and the pulse oximetry reading is 97%. What assessment step is most important now?
Peripheral IV - answers✔✔What is the preferred method of access for epi administration during cardiac
arrest in most pts?
Begin chest compressions. - answers✔✔An AED does not promptly analyze a rythm. What is your next
step?
Administer 1mg of epinephrine - answers✔✔You have completed 2 minutes of CPR. The ECG monitor
displays the lead II rhythm below, and the patient has no pulse. Another member of your team resumes
chest compressions, and an IV is in place. What management step is your next priority?
Resume compressions - answers✔✔During a pause in CPR, you see this lead II ECG rhythm on the
monitor. The patient has no pulse. What is the next action?
Prolonged interruptions in chest compressions. - answers✔✔What is a common but sometimes fatal
mistake in cardiac arrest management?
Allowing complete chest recoil - answers✔✔Which action is a componant of high-quality chest
comressions?
Providing quality compressions immediately before a defibrillation attempt. - answers✔✔Which action
increases the chance of successful conversion of ventricular fibrillation?
, Sinus rythm without a pulse - answers✔✔Which situation BEST describes pulseless electrical activity?
Provide continuous chest compressions without pauses and 10 ventilations per minute. -
answers✔✔What is the BEST strategy for performing high-quality CPR on a patient with an advanced
airway in place?
Chest compressions may not be effective. - answers✔✔Three minutes after witnessing a cardiac arrest,
one member of your team inserts an endotracheal tube while another performs continuous chest
compressions. During subsequent ventilation, you notice the presence of a waveform on the
capnography screen and a PETCO2 level of 8 mm Hg. What is the significance of this finding?
allows for monitoring of CPR quality. - answers✔✔The use of quantitative capnography in intubated
patients
Consider terminating resuscitive efforts after consulting medical control. - answers✔✔For the past 25
minutes, an EMS crew has attempted resuscitation of a patient who originally presented in ventricular
fibrillation. After the first shock, the ECG screen displayed asystole, which has persisted despite 2 doses
of epinephrine, a fluid bolus, and high-quality CPR. What is your next treatment?
Be sure oxygen is not blowing over the patient's chest during the shock. - answers✔✔Which is a safe
and effective practice within the defibrillation sequence?
Begin chest compressions. - answers✔✔During your assessment, your patient suddenly loses
consciousness. After calling for help and determining that the patient is not breathing, you are unsure
whether the patient has a pulse. What is your next action?
Hands-free pads allow for a more rapid defibrillation. - answers✔✔What is an advantage of using hands-
free defibrillation pads instead of defibrillation paddles?
Continue CPR while charging the defibrillator. - answers✔✔What action is recommended to help
minimize interruptions in chest compressions during CPR?
Start chest compressions of at least 100 per min. - answers✔✔You find an unresponsive pt. who is not
breathing. After activating the emergency response system, you determine there is no pulse. What is
your next action?
Obtaining a 12 lead ECG. - answers✔✔You are evaluating a 58-year-old man with chest pain. The blood
pressure is 92/50 mm Hg, the heart rate is 92/min, the nonlabored respiratory rate is 14 breaths/min,
and the pulse oximetry reading is 97%. What assessment step is most important now?
Peripheral IV - answers✔✔What is the preferred method of access for epi administration during cardiac
arrest in most pts?
Begin chest compressions. - answers✔✔An AED does not promptly analyze a rythm. What is your next
step?
Administer 1mg of epinephrine - answers✔✔You have completed 2 minutes of CPR. The ECG monitor
displays the lead II rhythm below, and the patient has no pulse. Another member of your team resumes
chest compressions, and an IV is in place. What management step is your next priority?
Resume compressions - answers✔✔During a pause in CPR, you see this lead II ECG rhythm on the
monitor. The patient has no pulse. What is the next action?
Prolonged interruptions in chest compressions. - answers✔✔What is a common but sometimes fatal
mistake in cardiac arrest management?
Allowing complete chest recoil - answers✔✔Which action is a componant of high-quality chest
comressions?
Providing quality compressions immediately before a defibrillation attempt. - answers✔✔Which action
increases the chance of successful conversion of ventricular fibrillation?
, Sinus rythm without a pulse - answers✔✔Which situation BEST describes pulseless electrical activity?
Provide continuous chest compressions without pauses and 10 ventilations per minute. -
answers✔✔What is the BEST strategy for performing high-quality CPR on a patient with an advanced
airway in place?
Chest compressions may not be effective. - answers✔✔Three minutes after witnessing a cardiac arrest,
one member of your team inserts an endotracheal tube while another performs continuous chest
compressions. During subsequent ventilation, you notice the presence of a waveform on the
capnography screen and a PETCO2 level of 8 mm Hg. What is the significance of this finding?
allows for monitoring of CPR quality. - answers✔✔The use of quantitative capnography in intubated
patients
Consider terminating resuscitive efforts after consulting medical control. - answers✔✔For the past 25
minutes, an EMS crew has attempted resuscitation of a patient who originally presented in ventricular
fibrillation. After the first shock, the ECG screen displayed asystole, which has persisted despite 2 doses
of epinephrine, a fluid bolus, and high-quality CPR. What is your next treatment?
Be sure oxygen is not blowing over the patient's chest during the shock. - answers✔✔Which is a safe
and effective practice within the defibrillation sequence?
Begin chest compressions. - answers✔✔During your assessment, your patient suddenly loses
consciousness. After calling for help and determining that the patient is not breathing, you are unsure
whether the patient has a pulse. What is your next action?
Hands-free pads allow for a more rapid defibrillation. - answers✔✔What is an advantage of using hands-
free defibrillation pads instead of defibrillation paddles?
Continue CPR while charging the defibrillator. - answers✔✔What action is recommended to help
minimize interruptions in chest compressions during CPR?
