FINAL EXAM ACLS 48 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
A patient experiences cardiac arrest, and the resuscitation team initiates ventilations using a
bag-valve-mask (BVM) resuscitator. The development of which condition during the provision of
care would lead the team to suspect that improper BVM technique is being used?
Select the correct answer to this question.
Rib fracture
Esophageal injury
Pneumothorax
Hypertension - answer Pneumothorax
1 A member of the resuscitation team is preparing to administer medications intravenously to a
patient in cardiac arrest. The team member follows each medication administration with a bolus
of fluid. How much would the team member give?
Select the correct answer to this question.
5 to 10 mL
10 to 20 mL
20 to 30 mL
30 to 40 mL - answer When administering medications during a cardiac arrest, all medications
administrated through the IV or intraosseous infusion route should be followed by a 10- to 20-
mL fluid bolus.
The resuscitation team suspects that hyperkalemia is the cause of cardiac arrest in a patient
brought to the emergency department. Which finding on a 12-lead ECG would confirm this
suspicion?
Wide-complex ventricular rhythm and tall, peaked T waves
,ST-segment changes, T-wave inversion
Flat T waves, prominent U waves and possibly prolonged QT intervals
Narrow-complex ventricular tachycardia - answer Wide-complex ventricular rhythm and tall,
peaked T waves
In hyperkalemia the patient's 12-lead ECG rhythm strip will show wide-complex ventricular
rhythm and tall, peaked T waves.
A patient with an ischemic stroke arrives at the emergency department at 2 a.m. The patient's
symptoms started about 12:30 a.m. After completing the necessary assessments, the healthcare
team diagnoses an ischemic stroke, and the patient is determined to be a candidate for
fibrinolytic therapy. To achieve the best outcomes, the team should initiate therapy for this
patient no later than by which time?
Select the correct answer to this question.
3:00 a.m.
5:30 a.m.
6:00 a.m.
8:30 a.m. - answer 1
3:00 a.m.
A resuscitation team is debriefing following a recent event. A patient experienced cardiac arrest,
and advanced cardiac life support was initiated. The patient required the placement of an
advanced airway to maintain airway patency. Which statement indicates that the team
performed high-quality CPR?
Select the correct answer to this question.
"We kept the rate of chest compressions to around 100 per minute but adjusted their depth to
1.5 inches while giving 1 ventilation every 3 seconds."
, "We delivered chest compressions at a rate of 80 to 100 per minute to a depth of at least 2
inches and gave 1 ventilation every 6 seconds."
"We initiated chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 110 per minute to a depth of 2.4 inches and
then gave 1 ventilation every 10 seconds."
"We delivered 1 ventilation every 6 seconds and chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 120
compressions per minute." - answer 4
"We delivered 1 ventilation every 6 seconds and chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 120
compressions per minute."
A patient with a suspected stroke arrives at the emergency department at 7:10 p.m. The stroke
team ensures that a comprehensive neurologic assessment using the National Institutes of
Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) is completed and that brain imaging is performed by which time?
7:20 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:40 p.m.
7:50 p.m. - answer 2
Within 20 minutes of the patient's arrival, a comprehensive neurologic assessment should be
completed and brain imaging should be performed. That would be 7:30 p.m. for this patient.
The emergency department team is providing care to a patient who is experiencing ventricular
tachycardia. The patient's serum electrolyte levels are a contributing cause of the patient's
current condition. Which electrolyte imbalance(s) would most likely be involved?
Select all correct options that apply.
Hyperkalemia
Hypochloremia
ANSWERS
A patient experiences cardiac arrest, and the resuscitation team initiates ventilations using a
bag-valve-mask (BVM) resuscitator. The development of which condition during the provision of
care would lead the team to suspect that improper BVM technique is being used?
Select the correct answer to this question.
Rib fracture
Esophageal injury
Pneumothorax
Hypertension - answer Pneumothorax
1 A member of the resuscitation team is preparing to administer medications intravenously to a
patient in cardiac arrest. The team member follows each medication administration with a bolus
of fluid. How much would the team member give?
Select the correct answer to this question.
5 to 10 mL
10 to 20 mL
20 to 30 mL
30 to 40 mL - answer When administering medications during a cardiac arrest, all medications
administrated through the IV or intraosseous infusion route should be followed by a 10- to 20-
mL fluid bolus.
The resuscitation team suspects that hyperkalemia is the cause of cardiac arrest in a patient
brought to the emergency department. Which finding on a 12-lead ECG would confirm this
suspicion?
Wide-complex ventricular rhythm and tall, peaked T waves
,ST-segment changes, T-wave inversion
Flat T waves, prominent U waves and possibly prolonged QT intervals
Narrow-complex ventricular tachycardia - answer Wide-complex ventricular rhythm and tall,
peaked T waves
In hyperkalemia the patient's 12-lead ECG rhythm strip will show wide-complex ventricular
rhythm and tall, peaked T waves.
A patient with an ischemic stroke arrives at the emergency department at 2 a.m. The patient's
symptoms started about 12:30 a.m. After completing the necessary assessments, the healthcare
team diagnoses an ischemic stroke, and the patient is determined to be a candidate for
fibrinolytic therapy. To achieve the best outcomes, the team should initiate therapy for this
patient no later than by which time?
Select the correct answer to this question.
3:00 a.m.
5:30 a.m.
6:00 a.m.
8:30 a.m. - answer 1
3:00 a.m.
A resuscitation team is debriefing following a recent event. A patient experienced cardiac arrest,
and advanced cardiac life support was initiated. The patient required the placement of an
advanced airway to maintain airway patency. Which statement indicates that the team
performed high-quality CPR?
Select the correct answer to this question.
"We kept the rate of chest compressions to around 100 per minute but adjusted their depth to
1.5 inches while giving 1 ventilation every 3 seconds."
, "We delivered chest compressions at a rate of 80 to 100 per minute to a depth of at least 2
inches and gave 1 ventilation every 6 seconds."
"We initiated chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 110 per minute to a depth of 2.4 inches and
then gave 1 ventilation every 10 seconds."
"We delivered 1 ventilation every 6 seconds and chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 120
compressions per minute." - answer 4
"We delivered 1 ventilation every 6 seconds and chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 120
compressions per minute."
A patient with a suspected stroke arrives at the emergency department at 7:10 p.m. The stroke
team ensures that a comprehensive neurologic assessment using the National Institutes of
Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) is completed and that brain imaging is performed by which time?
7:20 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:40 p.m.
7:50 p.m. - answer 2
Within 20 minutes of the patient's arrival, a comprehensive neurologic assessment should be
completed and brain imaging should be performed. That would be 7:30 p.m. for this patient.
The emergency department team is providing care to a patient who is experiencing ventricular
tachycardia. The patient's serum electrolyte levels are a contributing cause of the patient's
current condition. Which electrolyte imbalance(s) would most likely be involved?
Select all correct options that apply.
Hyperkalemia
Hypochloremia
