American Red Cross ALS, ALS -
American Red Cross Exam Questions
and Answers
Start chest compressions of at least 100 per min. - Answer-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. - Answer-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 - Answer-What is the preferred method of access for epi administration
during cardiac arrest in most pts?
Begin chest compressions. - Answer-An AED does not promptly analyze a rythm. What
is your next step?
Administer 1mg of epinephrine - Answer-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 - Answer-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. - Answer-What is a common but
sometimes fatal mistake in cardiac arrest management?
Allowing complete chest recoil - Answer-Which action is a componant of high-quality
chest comressions?
Providing quality compressions immediately before a defibrillation attempt. - Answer-
Which action increases the chance of successful conversion of ventricular fibrillation?
Sinus rythm without a pulse - Answer-Which situation BEST describes pulseless
electrical activity?
Provide continuous chest compressions without pauses and 10 ventilations per minute.
- Answer-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. - Answer-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. - Answer-The use of quantitative capnography in
intubated patients
Consider terminating resuscitive efforts after consulting medical control. - Answer-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. - Answer-
Which is a safe and effective practice within the defibrillation sequence?
Begin chest compressions. - Answer-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. - Answer-What is an advantage of
using hands-free defibrillation pads instead of defibrillation paddles?
Continue CPR while charging the defibrillator. - Answer-What action is recommended to
help minimize interruptions in chest compressions during CPR?
Early defibrillation - Answer-Which action is included in the BLS survey?
Amioderone 300mg - Answer-Which drug and dose are recommended for the
management of a patient in refractory ventricular fibrillation?
10 seconds or less - Answer-What is the appropriate interval for an interruption in chest
compressions?
PETCO2 ≥10 mm Hg - Answer-Which of the following is a sign of effective CPR?
Identifying and treating early clinical deterioration. - Answer-What is the primary
purpose of a medical emergency team (MET) or rapid response team (RRT)?
Switch providers about every 2 minutes or every 5 compression cycles. - Answer-Which
action improves the quality of chest compressions delivered during a resuscitation
attempt?
,1 breath every 5-6 seconds - Answer-What is the appropriate ventilation strategy for an
adult in respiratory arrest with a pulse rate of 80/min?
Atropine 0.5mg - Answer-A patient presents to the emergency department with new
onset of dizziness and fatigue. On examination, the patient's heart rate is 35/min, the
blood pressure is 70/50 mm Hg, the respiratory rate is 22 breaths/min, and the oxygen
saturation is 95%. What is the appropriate first medication?
2 to 10 mcg/kg per minute - Answer-A patient with dizziness and shortness of breath
with a sinus bradycardia of 40/min. The initial atropine dose was ineffective, and your
monitor/defibrillator is not equipped with a transcutaneous pacemaker. What is the
appropriate dose of dopamine for this patient?
Vagal manuever. - Answer-A patient has sudden onset of dizziness. The patient's heart
rate is 180/min, blood pressure is 110/70 mm Hg, respiratory rate is 18 breaths/min, and
pulse oximetry reading is 98% on room air. The lead II ECG is shown below:
Adenosine 6mg IV push - Answer-A monitored patient in the ICU developed a sudden
onset of narrow-complex tachycardia at a rate of 220/min. The patient's blood pressure
is 128/58 mm Hg, the PETCO2 is 38 mm Hg, and the pulse oximetry reading is 98%.
There is vascular access at the left internal jugular vein, and the patient has not been
given any vasoactive drugs. A 12-lead ECG confirms a supraventricular tachycardia
with no evidence of ischemia or infarction. The heart rate has not responded to vagal
maneuvers. What is the next recommended intervention?
Divert the patient to a hospital 15 minutes away with CT capabilities. - Answer-You are
receiving a radio report from an EMS team en route with a patient who may be having
an acute stroke. The hospital CT scanner is not working at this time. What should you
do in this situation?
Evidence of rigor mortis. - Answer-Choose an appropriate indication to stop or withhold
resuscitative efforts.
Obtain a 12 lead ECG. - Answer-A 49-year-old woman arrives in the emergency
department with persistent epigastric pain. She had been taking oral antacids for the
past 6 hours because she thought she had heartburn. The initial blood pressure is
118/72 mm Hg, the heart rate is 92/min and regular, the nonlabored respiratory rate is
14 breaths/min, and the pulse oximetry reading is 96%. Which is the most appropriate
intervention to perform next?
Simple airway manuevers and assisted ventilations. - Answer-A patient in respiratory
failure becomes apneic but continues to have a strong pulse. The heart rate is dropping
rapidly and now shows a sinus bradycardia at a rate of 30/min. What intervention has
the highest priority?
, Suction during withdrawal but for no longer than 10 seconds. - Answer-What is the
appropriate procedure for endotracheal tube suctioning after the appropriate catheter is
selected?
Atropine 0.5mg - Answer-While treating a patient with dizziness, a blood pressure of
68/30 mm Hg, and cool, clammy skin, you see this lead II ECG rhythm:What is the first
intervention ?
Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale assessment - Answer-A 68-year-old woman
experienced a sudden onset of right arm weakness. EMS personnel measure a blood
pressure of 140/90 mm Hg, a heart rate of 78/min, a nonlabored respiratory rate of 14
breaths/min, and a pulse oximetry reading of 97%. The lead II ECG displays sinus
rhythm. What is the most appropriate action for the EMS team to perform next?
Head CT scan - Answer-EMS is transporting a patient with a positive prehospital stroke
assessment. Upon arrival in the emergency department, the initial blood pressure is
138/78 mm Hg, the pulse rate is 80/min, the respiratory rate is 12 breaths/min, and the
pulse oximetry reading is 95% on room air. The lead II ECG displays sinus rhythm. The
blood glucose level is within normal limits. What intervention should you perform next?
8-10 breaths per minute - Answer-What is the proper ventilation rate for a patient in
cardiac arrest who has an advanced airway in place?
Obtain a 12 lead ECG. - Answer-A 62-year-old man in the emergency department says
that his heart is beating fast. He says he has no chest pain or shortness of breath. The
blood pressure is 142/98 mm Hg, the pulse is 200/min, the respiratory rate is 14
breaths/min, and pulse oximetry is 95% on room air. What intervention should you
perform next?
Synchronized cardioversion - Answer-You are evaluating a 48-year-old man with
crushing substernal chest pain. The patient is pale, diaphoretic, cool to the touch, and
slow to respond to your questions. The blood pressure is 58/32 mm Hg, the heart rate is
190/min, the respiratory rate is 18 breaths/min, and the pulse oximeter is unable to
obtain a reading because there is no radial pulse. The lead II ECG displays a regular
wide-complex tachycardia. What intervention should you perform next?
Determine whether pulses are present. - Answer-What is the initial priority for an
unconscious patient with any tachycardia on the monitor?
Unstable supraventricular tachycardia - Answer-Which rhythm requires synchronized
cardioversion?
12mg - Answer-What is the recommended second dose of adenosine for patients in
refractory but stable narrow-complex tachycardia?
