AHA PALS ACTUAL EXAM Questions and
Answers with Rationales GRADED A+
Latest Versions 2025
1. A 10-year-old child had a sudden witnessed cardiac arrest and received immediate
bystander CPR and defibrillation within 3 minutes. He had a return of spontaneous circulation.
The child remains unresponsive and has an advanced airway in place. There is no history of
trauma or signs of shock. What is the target range for oxygen saturation for this child?
A. 92% to 100%
B. 92% to 99%
C. 94% to 99%
D. 94% to 100%
✓ 94% to 99%
2. A 3-month-old infant with bronchiolitis is suctioned to remove upper airway secretions. The
infant's heart rate decreases from 155/min to 65/min as shown below. The infant remains
alert, with easily palpable pulses. Capillary refill time is 1 second. What is the most
appropriate initial intervention?
A. Administer oxygen and ensure adequate ventilation; be prepared to intervene further if
heart rate does not increase
B. Establish IV/IO access and administer epinephrine 0.01 mg/kg IV
|
,C. Establish IV/IO access and administer atropine 0.02 mg/kg IV
D. Call for help and prepare to provide transthoracic pacing/transvenous pacing
✓ Administer oxygen and ensure adequate ventilation; be prepared to intervene further if
heart rate
3. A 3-month-old infant with bronchiolitis is intubated for management of respiratory failure.
During transport, the infant develops bradycardia with a heart rate of 60/min, and the
infant's oxygen saturation decreases to 75%. There are breath sounds on the right side, but no
air entry is heard on the left side. What is the most appropriate initial intervention?
A. Administer epinephrine 0.01 mg/kg IV
B. Place a chest tube on the left
C. Verify the endotracheal tube position
D. Aggressively suction the endotracheal tube
✓ Verify the endotracheal tube position
4. For a 6-month-old infant with supraventricular tachycardia and adequate perfusion, which
of the following is the preferred vagal maneuver?
A. Ocular pressure
B. Carotid pressure
C. Valsalva maneuver
D. Ice to the face
✓ Ice to the face
|
✓ !
, 5. A child presents with severe respiratory distress, urticaria, stridor, and tachycardia about
10 minutes after eating peanuts. What is the most appropriate initial medication for this child?
A. Nebulized albuterol
B. Epinephrine IM
C. Isotonic crystalloid IV
D. Methylprednisolone
✓ Epinephrine IM
6. A 2-year-old child was found submerged in a swimming pool. She is unresponsive, not
breathing, and pulseless. In addition to performing high-quality CPR and establishing vascular
access, which of the following is the most appropriate intervention?
A. Give atropine 0.02 mg/kg lIO/IV
B. Apply cricoid pressure
C. Give epinephrine 0.01 mg/kg IO/IV
D. Provide transthoracic pacing
✓ Give epinephrine 0.01 mg/kg IO/IV
7. A 3-year-old child is unresponsive, not breathing, and pulseless. High-quality CPR is in
progress. A cardiac monitor is applied, and the rhythm below is noted. What is the next
appropriate intervention?
A. Attempt defibrillation with a 2 J/kg shock
B. Administer epinephrine 0.01 mg/kg
Answers with Rationales GRADED A+
Latest Versions 2025
1. A 10-year-old child had a sudden witnessed cardiac arrest and received immediate
bystander CPR and defibrillation within 3 minutes. He had a return of spontaneous circulation.
The child remains unresponsive and has an advanced airway in place. There is no history of
trauma or signs of shock. What is the target range for oxygen saturation for this child?
A. 92% to 100%
B. 92% to 99%
C. 94% to 99%
D. 94% to 100%
✓ 94% to 99%
2. A 3-month-old infant with bronchiolitis is suctioned to remove upper airway secretions. The
infant's heart rate decreases from 155/min to 65/min as shown below. The infant remains
alert, with easily palpable pulses. Capillary refill time is 1 second. What is the most
appropriate initial intervention?
A. Administer oxygen and ensure adequate ventilation; be prepared to intervene further if
heart rate does not increase
B. Establish IV/IO access and administer epinephrine 0.01 mg/kg IV
|
,C. Establish IV/IO access and administer atropine 0.02 mg/kg IV
D. Call for help and prepare to provide transthoracic pacing/transvenous pacing
✓ Administer oxygen and ensure adequate ventilation; be prepared to intervene further if
heart rate
3. A 3-month-old infant with bronchiolitis is intubated for management of respiratory failure.
During transport, the infant develops bradycardia with a heart rate of 60/min, and the
infant's oxygen saturation decreases to 75%. There are breath sounds on the right side, but no
air entry is heard on the left side. What is the most appropriate initial intervention?
A. Administer epinephrine 0.01 mg/kg IV
B. Place a chest tube on the left
C. Verify the endotracheal tube position
D. Aggressively suction the endotracheal tube
✓ Verify the endotracheal tube position
4. For a 6-month-old infant with supraventricular tachycardia and adequate perfusion, which
of the following is the preferred vagal maneuver?
A. Ocular pressure
B. Carotid pressure
C. Valsalva maneuver
D. Ice to the face
✓ Ice to the face
|
✓ !
, 5. A child presents with severe respiratory distress, urticaria, stridor, and tachycardia about
10 minutes after eating peanuts. What is the most appropriate initial medication for this child?
A. Nebulized albuterol
B. Epinephrine IM
C. Isotonic crystalloid IV
D. Methylprednisolone
✓ Epinephrine IM
6. A 2-year-old child was found submerged in a swimming pool. She is unresponsive, not
breathing, and pulseless. In addition to performing high-quality CPR and establishing vascular
access, which of the following is the most appropriate intervention?
A. Give atropine 0.02 mg/kg lIO/IV
B. Apply cricoid pressure
C. Give epinephrine 0.01 mg/kg IO/IV
D. Provide transthoracic pacing
✓ Give epinephrine 0.01 mg/kg IO/IV
7. A 3-year-old child is unresponsive, not breathing, and pulseless. High-quality CPR is in
progress. A cardiac monitor is applied, and the rhythm below is noted. What is the next
appropriate intervention?
A. Attempt defibrillation with a 2 J/kg shock
B. Administer epinephrine 0.01 mg/kg
