Study Questions for BLS

1. While walking in the city park you witness the collapse of an elderly man at a nearby bus stop.
After running to the victim, what should you do first?

a. immediately begin chest compressions

b. perform the Heimlich maneuver
c. call for help
d. check the responsiveness of the victim
e. give two rapid chest compressions and then check for breathing

2. The depth of chest compressions for an adult female should be:

a. 2 to 3 inches (in depth)

b. 11/2 to 2 inches
c. 2 to 21/2 inches
d. 6 to 9 centimeters
e. one half to one third the circumference of the chest

3. While doing heavy construction work a co-worker complains of a very sharp pain under his chest
bone, you suggest that he:

a. sit down and rest while you evaluate his situation

b. keep working to see if the pain continues
c. stop and eat lunch as he is probably only hungry
d. drive himself home and remain there for the rest of the day
e. quickly write out his “last will and testament”

4. In providing single-person rescue, the rate of chest compressions per minute (if there were no
interruptions); and the number of chest compressions given an infant in a set after rescue breaths
(i.e., a baby less than one year old) are:

a. 60/min; 5
b. 60/min; 15
c. 75/min; 30
d. 100/min; 30

5. In giving an adult rescue breaths, you should attempt to administer:

a. a volume between 1100 mL and 1500 mL for each breath

b. each breath over 1.5 to 2.0 seconds
c. breaths as large as possible
d. breaths as rapidly as possible
e. each breath with sufficient volume to cause the chest to rise visibly
f. each “inspiratory part”of the breath in 1.0 second

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6. Which of the following is/are (a) risk factor(s) for cardiovascular disease over which you have no
control?

a. gender
b. age
c. parentage
d. diet
e. recreational activities

7. The most common cause of sudden/clinical death for adults in the United States is:

a. lightning
b. smoking
c. drowning
d. stroke
e. heart attack

8. After experiencing cardiac arrest, the adult victim has the greatest chance for a full recovery when:

a. the EMS number (generally 911) is called within 6 minutes

b. CPR is able to provide suitable circulation and ventilation starting within 4 to 6 minutes
c. CPR which provides adequate circulation and ventilation is initiated immediately
d. bystanders wait until the victim is defibrillated before they institute CPR

9. The most common cause of cardiac arrest in infants and children is/are:

a. drug overdoses
b. falls and accidents at home
c. airway obstruction
d. hypothermia
e. heat stroke

10. When the cause of cardiac arrest in an adult victim is likely due to hypoxia, a single rescuer should
(note that this is an exception):

a. activate EMS immediately

b. wait until a shock (defibrillation) is given before checking for breathing
c. administer 2 minutes of CPR before leaving the victim to call 911
d. provide rescue breaths enriched with oxygen and carbon dioxide

11. After a shock is administered to an individual in ventricular fibrillation (cardiac arrest), the
rescuer(s) should:

a. check for breathing

b. administer 2 rescue breaths
c. provide 2 minutes of CPR beginning with chest compressions before checking heart rhythm
d. do an immediate rhythm check with the AED

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12. For the treatment of stroke to be effective it should be initiated within of the onset of
symptoms.

a. 60 min b. 2 hrs c. 3 hrs d. 6 hrs e. 12 hrs

13. If an adult victim who has been resuscitated is breathing normally but is still unresponsive, it would
be good to:

a. apply the AED to him/her

b. place him/her in the recovery position
c. administer the Heimlich maneuver
d. look for signs of circulation
e. feel for a pulse at the radial artery

14. When should you do a finger sweep on a victim that you come upon and find to be unresponsive?

a. he/she is breathing very loudly

b. if you seen something in his/her mouth
c. after you have found no signs of circulation
d. after the AED has been applied

15. A layperson should always determine the presence or absence of circulation by feeling the pulse?

a. True b. False

16. The best reason for giving 30 chest compressions in a set to an adult instead of 5:

a. is that it is an easier number to remember

b. is that it decreases the oxygen use of the victim
c. is that it improves the blood flow to important organs
d. is that it decreases the carbon dioxide production of the victim

17. The passing or satisfactory score for the Written Exam by students taking BLS for Healthcare
Providers is:

a. 68 (%) b. 72 c. 84 d. 90 e. 94

18. A student who takes the Healthcare Provider BLS course and passes the skills/performance part but
fails the written test should:

a. be told how dumb he/she is

b. review the annotated answer key and retake another version of the exam
c. wait and retake the entire course at a later date
d. be passed because he/she passed the psychomotor skills part

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19. The proper way for a Healthcare Professional to check for circulation in an unresponsive adult is to:
 a. take the carotid pulse
b. look for signs of breathing
c. note any movement or motion by the victim
d. observe any coughing
e. all of the above

20. You should evaluate circulation in an adult that is unconscious:

a. immediately
b. after calling 911
c. after establishing unresponsiveness
d. following the administration of chest compressions
e. after the airway is opened and 2 rescue breaths have been given

21. An AED should be applied to an unresponsive adult:

a. as soon as unresponsiveness is determined

b. after two rescue breaths have been given
c. after finding no signs of circulation in the victim
d. after giving the first set of 30 chest compresions

22. The purpose of providing immediate CPR to an individual who is experiencing ventricular
fibrillation (VF) is:

a. provide adequate breathing and circulation until more advance help can be given
b. correct the heart arrhymias
c. avoid using an AED
d. to decide whether there is any need to call 911

23. The proper rescue technique(s) to administer to an infant who is experiencing severe choking is to:

a. apply 5 back slaps followed by 5 chest compressions until the object is dislodged or unconscious-
ness ensues
b. do a blind-finger sweep
c. do a tongue-jaw lift
d. wait until they become unconscious and then begin regular CPR

24. When the choking victim that you, a lone rescuer, are applying the Hemlich maneuver on becomes
unconscious you should first:

a. begin chest compressions

b. administer 2 rescue breaths
c. administer blind-finger sweeps
d. activate EMS

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KEY for the review Questions

1. d
2. b
3. a
4. d
5. e and f
6. a, b and c
7. e
8. c
9. c
10. c
11. c
12. c
13. b
14. b
15. b
16. c
17. c
18. b
19 e
20. e
21. c
22. a
23. a
24. d