ACLS

Sampling of 20 questions found on the

certification exam
1 Chest compressions for an adult are performed:
A
At a rate between 60 and 80 compressions
B
At a rate of at least 80 compressions per minute
C
At a rate between 80 and 100 compressions per minute
D
At a rate between 100 and 120 compressions per minute
2 The ratio of compressions to breaths in adults is:
A
15:1
B
10:2
C
20:2
D
30:2
3 An adult patient in respiratory arrest with a pulse is ventilated via bag valve mask:
A
8 to 10 times per minute
B
10 to 12 times per minute
C
12 to 14 times per minute
D
14 to 16 times per minute
4 Hypotension following cardiac arrest is NOT treated with:
A
IV calcium infusion
B
IV dopamine infusion
C
IV epinephrine infusion
D
IV Ringers lactate or IV normal saline
5 The leader in team resuscitation must:
A
Be able to perform all the skills if needed
B
Be certified as a leader
C
Be a physician
D
 Undergo leadership training
6 Recommended ED door to balloon inflation time for a STEMI patient is:
A
No longer than 15 minutes
B
No longer than 30 minutes
C
No longer than 60 minutes
D
No longer than 90 minutes
7 The effectiveness of CPR can be estimated by:
A
Arterial diastolic blood pressure
B
Quantitative waveform capnography
C
Central venous oxygen saturation
D
All of the above
8 Narrow-complex supraventricular tachycardia is best treated with:
A
Adenosine
B
Amiodarone
C
Atropine
D
Epinephrine
9 Pulseless electrical activity is treated with _______?
A
Epinephrine
B
Magnesium
C
Atropine
D
Unsynchronized cardioversion
10 The correct sequence for basic life support is:
A
ABC - Airway, Breathing, Compressions
B
ACB - Airway, Compressions, Breathing
C
BCA - Breathing, Compressions, Airway
D
CAB - Compressions, Airway, Breathing
11 Which of the following is the correct initial dose of adenosine for the treatment of
supraventricular tachycardia?
A
1 mg IV
 B
6 mg IV
C
12 mg IV
D
100 mg IV
12 At what heart rate does tachycardia usually become symptomatic?
A
100 bpm
B
60 bpm
C
150 bpm
D
50 bpm
13 You are the paramedic on an ambulance transporting a 65-year-old female. The patient is
connected to the monitor and you see this rhythm; she has a palpable pulse. What is the
rhythm?

A
Sinus bradycardia
B
Sinus rhythm
C
PEA
D
Second degree heart block
14 True or False: Pulse checks should be done for at least 10 seconds.
A
TRUE
B
FALSE
15 True or False: The initial recommended dosage of atropine for symptomatic bradycardia is
0.5 mg IV.
A
TRUE
B
FALSE
16 During cardiopulmonary resuscitation, deliver oxygen at:
A
2 liters per minute via nasal cannula
B
Titrated to keep oxygen saturation 85%
C
Titrated to keep oxygen saturation 94%
D
100%
17 The goal for initiation of fibrinolytic therapy in appropriate stroke patients is:
A
Within 4 hours of arrival to the ED
B
Within 6 hours of arrival to the ED
C
Within 3 hours of arrival to the ED
D
Within 1 hour of arrival to the ED
18 The most common reversible causes of PEA are called the "H's and T's" and include all of
the following EXCEPT:
A
Hypovolemia
B
Hypoxia
C
Hypocalcemia
D
Tamponade
19 An EMT discovers STEMI on a 12-lead ECG in the ambulance. The best option is to:
A
Take the patient to a hospital capable of providing open-heart surgery, regardless of
fibrinolysis or PCI capability
B
Take the patient to a hospital capable of providing fibrinolysis only (not PCI), 5
minutes away
C
Provide fibrinolysis in the ambulance then take the patient to a hospital capable of
providing PCI, 15 minutes away
D
Take the patient to a hospital capable of providing PCI, 15 minutes away
20 Which of the following signs is NOT part of the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale?
A
Facial droop
B
Arm drift
C
Speech abnormality
D
Confusion or disorientation
PALS

1 A 5-year-old child in supraventricular tachycardia has adequate pulses with the rhythm.
Supplemental oxygen is in place and vital signs are stable except for the elevated heart rate.
The most appropriate next intervention for this child is:
A
Unsynchronized cardioversion
B
Vagal maneuvers
C
Synchronized cardioversion
D
Amiodarone
2 A child has an advanced airway in place during cardiac arrest. How frequently should
ventilations be given?
A
Every 3 seconds
B
Every 6 seconds
C
Every 10 seconds
D
Every 12 seconds
3 You are using a bag-valve mask to resuscitate an infant, while another rescuer is performing
chest compressions. What is the correct ratio of chest compressions to ventilations?
A
30 chest compressions to 2 ventilations
B
15 chest compressions to 2 ventilations
C
30 ventilations to 2 chest compressions
D
15 ventilations to 2 chest compressions
4 You are alone performing infant CPR. What is the correct ratio of chest compressions to
ventilations?
A
30 chest compressions to 2 ventilations
B
15 chest compressions to 2 ventilations
C
30 ventilations to 2 chest compressions
D
15 ventilations to 2 chest compressions
5 A 7 month old appears to be unconscious and not breathing. You check for a pulse at the
________ artery.
A
Brachial
B
 Femoral
C
Carotid
D
Coronary
6 A clear sign of upper airway obstruction is:
A
Decreased inspiratory effort
B
Breath sounds in all lung fields
C
Crying
D
A whistling sound during breathing
7 In children, which of the following is the most common form of arrest?
A
Respiratory arrest
B
Ventricular fibrillation cardiac arrest
C
Ventricular tachycardia cardiac arrest
D
PEA cardiac arrest
8 In small children, a rescue breath should be given:
A
As quickly as possible
B
As slowly as possible
C
Over one second
D
Over three seconds
9 What is the normal range of heart rates for an 8-year-old child?
A
80-205 per minute
B
75-190 per minute
C
60-140 per minute
D
50-100 per minute
10 The child you are caring for is very pale. You know that this pallor can be caused by all of
the following EXCEPT:
A
Anemia
B
Heat
C
Shock
D
 Albinism
11 Clinical signs of respiratory distress may include all of the following EXCEPT:
A
Rapid respiratory rate
B
Grunting respirations
C
Warm, pink skin
D
Diminished level of consciousness
12 Late and ominous signs of respiratory failure include all of the following EXCEPT:
A
Rapid respiratory rate
B
Cyanosis
C
Bradycardia
D
Diminished level of consciousness
13 The 8-year-old child you are treating has a palpable pulse and a heart rate of 200. You look
at the monitor and see a rapid rhythm with narrow QRS complexes. There are no discernible
P waves on the monitor. The rhythm is probably:
A
Sinus tachycardia
B
Supraventricular tachycardia
C
Sinus rhythm
D
Ventricular tachycardia
14 You are doing CPR on a child with symptomatic bradycardia. An intravenous line is in
place. What is the first drug of choice for the patient?
A
Atropine
B
Epinephrine
C
Sodium bicarbonate
D
Dopamine
15 High-quality CPR for young children includes:
A
Compress to a depth of at least one third of the child's chest diameter
B
Compress at a rate between 100 and 120 compressions per minute
C
Minimize interruptions to chest compressions
D
All of the above
16 You are the team leader on a team resuscitating a child without a pulse or respirations.
When you look at the monitor, you see a disorganized rhythm with chaotic electrical activity.
This rhythm is most likely:
A
Asystole
B
PEA
C
Ventricular fibrillation
D
Ventricular tachycardia
17 The goal of the PALS team in the treatment of shock is to:
A
Improve oxygen delivery
B
Prevent organ injury
C
Stop the progression to cardiopulmonary failure
D
All of the above
18 When evaluating a child's bradycardia, it is important to consider the child's:
A
Baseline rate
B
Level of activity
C
Clinical condition
D
All of the above
19 For asystole, the team should do CPR until IV or IO access is achieved. The drug of
choice for asystole is:
A
Amiodarone
B
Epinephrine
C
Lidocaine
D
Atropine
20 In school age children and infants, the two most common initial rhythms seen in pediatric
cardiac arrest are:
A
Asystole and PEA
B
Asystole and VF
C
PEA and VF
D
Pulseless VT and VF
BLS
What is the correct depth of chest compressions in an adult?
A
As deep as possible
B
Up to 2 inches
C
Between 2 and 2.4 inches
D
At least 3 inches
2 A victim probably has a neck injury. What is the correct way to open the airway?
A
Head tilt-chin lift
B
Jaw thrust
3 How long should a pulse check last?
A
As long as it takes to find a pulse
B
No more than 2 seconds
C
No more than 5 seconds
D
No more than 10 seconds
4 Where should you check for a pulse in an adult?
A
Carotid artery
B
Brachial artery
C
Femoral artery
D
Radial artery
5 Where should you check for a pulse in an infant?
A
Carotid artery
B
Brachial artery
C
Femoral artery
D
Radial artery
6 A child is gasping for breath but has a pulse rate of 100 per minute. The rescuers should:
A
Start CPR beginning with compressions
B
Give 1 breath every 5 to 6 seconds
C
Give 1 breath every 3 to 5 seconds
 D
Do nothing; the child is not in distress
7 A child is not breathing but has a pulse rate of 50 per minute. The rescuers should:
A
Start CPR beginning with compressions
B
Give 1 breath every 5 to 6 seconds
C
Give 1 breath every 3 to 5 seconds
D
Do nothing; the child is not in distress
8 A 50-year-old man who has been eating steak in a restaurant abruptly stands up and grabs
his neck. The rescuer determines that the victim is choking. The best response is to:
A
Use back blows
B
Do nothing; wait until the victim becomes unresponsive, then start CPR
C
Use abdominal thrusts
D
Use upward chest thrusts
9 An infant who had been choking becomes unresponsive. The rescuer should:
A
Alternate back slaps and chest thrusts
B
Perform a blind finger sweep to attempt to remove the obstruction
C
Attempt to dislodge the obstruction using abdominal thrusts
D
Begin CPR
10 Efforts to relieve choking should be stopped when:
A
The obstruction is removed
B
The victim becomes unresponsive
C
The victim begins breathing normally
D
Any of the above occurs