Page 1 of 35
ACLS WRITTEN EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
VERIFIED ANSWERS JUST RELEASED THIS YEAR
QUESTION: What survival advantages does CPR provide to a patient in ventricular fibrillation? -
ANSWER✔✔Produces a small amount of blood flow to the heart
QUESTION: What is the recommended compression rate for performing CPR? - ANSWER✔✔At
least 100 per minute
QUESTION: EMS personnel arrive to find a patient in cardiac arrest. Bystanders are performing
CPR. After attaching a cardiac monitor, the responder observes the following rhythm strip. What
is the most important early intervention? - ANSWER✔✔defibrillation
QUESTION: A patient remains in ventricular fibrillation despite 1 shock and 2 minutes of
continuous CPR. The next intervention is to - ANSWER✔✔administer a second shock.
QUESTION: What is the recommended next step after a defibrillation attempt? -
ANSWER✔✔Begin CPR, starting with chest compressions.
, Page 2 of 35
QUESTION: Which of the following is the recommended first choice for establishing intravenous
access during the attempted resuscitation of a patient in cardiac arrest? -
ANSWER✔✔Antecubital vein
QUESTION: Which finding is a sign of ineffective CPR? - ANSWER✔✔PETCO2 <10 mm Hg
QUESTION: How often should the team leader switch chest compressors during a resuscitation
attempt? - ANSWER✔✔. Every 2 minutes
QUESTION: IV/IO drug administration during CPR should be - ANSWER✔✔given rapidly during
compressions
QUESTION: 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? - ANSWER✔✔Start
chest compressions of at least 100 per min.
QUESTION: 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? -
ANSWER✔✔Obtaining a 12 lead ECG.
, Page 3 of 35
QUESTION: What is the preferred method of access for epi administration during cardiac arrest
in most pts? - ANSWER✔✔Peripheral IV
QUESTION: An AED does not promptly analyze a rythm. What is your next step? -
ANSWER✔✔Begin chest compressions.
QUESTION: 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? -
ANSWER✔✔Administer 1mg of epinephrine
QUESTION: 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? - ANSWER✔✔Resume compressions
QUESTION: What is a common but sometimes fatal mistake in cardiac arrest management? -
ANSWER✔✔Prolonged interruptions in chest compressions.
QUESTION: Which action is a componant of high-quality chest comressions? -
ANSWER✔✔Allowing complete chest recoil
, Page 4 of 35
QUESTION: Which action increases the chance of successful conversion of ventricular
fibrillation? - ANSWER✔✔Providing quality compressions immediately before a defibrillation
attempt.
QUESTION: Which situation BEST describes pulseless electrical activity? - ANSWER✔✔Sinus
rythm without a pulse
QUESTION: What is the BEST strategy for performing high-quality CPR on a patient with an
advanced airway in place? - ANSWER✔✔Provide continuous chest compressions without
pauses and 10 ventilations per minute.
QUESTION: 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? - ANSWER✔✔Chest
compressions may not be effective.
QUESTION: The use of quantitative capnography in intubated patients - ANSWER✔✔allows for
monitoring of CPR quality.
QUESTION: 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.
ACLS WRITTEN EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
VERIFIED ANSWERS JUST RELEASED THIS YEAR
QUESTION: What survival advantages does CPR provide to a patient in ventricular fibrillation? -
ANSWER✔✔Produces a small amount of blood flow to the heart
QUESTION: What is the recommended compression rate for performing CPR? - ANSWER✔✔At
least 100 per minute
QUESTION: EMS personnel arrive to find a patient in cardiac arrest. Bystanders are performing
CPR. After attaching a cardiac monitor, the responder observes the following rhythm strip. What
is the most important early intervention? - ANSWER✔✔defibrillation
QUESTION: A patient remains in ventricular fibrillation despite 1 shock and 2 minutes of
continuous CPR. The next intervention is to - ANSWER✔✔administer a second shock.
QUESTION: What is the recommended next step after a defibrillation attempt? -
ANSWER✔✔Begin CPR, starting with chest compressions.
, Page 2 of 35
QUESTION: Which of the following is the recommended first choice for establishing intravenous
access during the attempted resuscitation of a patient in cardiac arrest? -
ANSWER✔✔Antecubital vein
QUESTION: Which finding is a sign of ineffective CPR? - ANSWER✔✔PETCO2 <10 mm Hg
QUESTION: How often should the team leader switch chest compressors during a resuscitation
attempt? - ANSWER✔✔. Every 2 minutes
QUESTION: IV/IO drug administration during CPR should be - ANSWER✔✔given rapidly during
compressions
QUESTION: 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? - ANSWER✔✔Start
chest compressions of at least 100 per min.
QUESTION: 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? -
ANSWER✔✔Obtaining a 12 lead ECG.
, Page 3 of 35
QUESTION: What is the preferred method of access for epi administration during cardiac arrest
in most pts? - ANSWER✔✔Peripheral IV
QUESTION: An AED does not promptly analyze a rythm. What is your next step? -
ANSWER✔✔Begin chest compressions.
QUESTION: 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? -
ANSWER✔✔Administer 1mg of epinephrine
QUESTION: 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? - ANSWER✔✔Resume compressions
QUESTION: What is a common but sometimes fatal mistake in cardiac arrest management? -
ANSWER✔✔Prolonged interruptions in chest compressions.
QUESTION: Which action is a componant of high-quality chest comressions? -
ANSWER✔✔Allowing complete chest recoil
, Page 4 of 35
QUESTION: Which action increases the chance of successful conversion of ventricular
fibrillation? - ANSWER✔✔Providing quality compressions immediately before a defibrillation
attempt.
QUESTION: Which situation BEST describes pulseless electrical activity? - ANSWER✔✔Sinus
rythm without a pulse
QUESTION: What is the BEST strategy for performing high-quality CPR on a patient with an
advanced airway in place? - ANSWER✔✔Provide continuous chest compressions without
pauses and 10 ventilations per minute.
QUESTION: 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? - ANSWER✔✔Chest
compressions may not be effective.
QUESTION: The use of quantitative capnography in intubated patients - ANSWER✔✔allows for
monitoring of CPR quality.
QUESTION: 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.
