ALS Final Exam Questions and Answers
1. A patient with a suspected stroke arrives at the emergency department at
7:10 p.m. The stroke team ensures that a comprehensive neurologic assess-
ment using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) is
completed and that brain imaging is performed by which time?
Answer 7:30pm
2. A 30-year-old patient has been brought to the emergency department in
cardiac arrest. The cardiac monitor shows the following rhythm.
Interpretation of this rhythm would suggest which of the following as a
possible precipitating factor?
(EKG strip shows ventricular fibrillation)
Answer Electrocution
3.The ECG rhythm strip of a patient who arrived in the emergency
department complaining of dizziness, syncope and shortness of breath
reveals sinus bradycardia. When reviewing the patient's medication history,
the healthcare provider identifies which agent(s) as a potential cause of the
patient's current condition?
Answer Digoxin
Verapamil
Metoprolol
1/
15
, 4.A patient experiencing an unstable bradyarrhythmia does not respond
to atropine. Which interventions could the healthcare provider use next?
Answer Epi- nephrine/dopamine infusion
Transcutaneous pacing
5.A patient presents to the emergency department with mild to moderate re-
current chest pain, without any nausea or vomiting. A 12-lead ECG is
obtained and shows ST-segment depression with transient T-wave elevation
indicative of NSTE-ACS. Cardiac serum markers are obtained and are not
elevated. The patient's risk-stratification score indicates low risk. These
findings suggest which condition?
Answer Unstable angina
6.The following capnogram is from a patient experiencing respiratory
dis- tress. At which point in the waveform would the patient's ETCO2
level be measured?
Answer D (end of the peaked plateau, right before it inverts
downwards)
7.A patient comes to the emergency department complaining of palpitations
and "some shortness of breath." Cardiac monitoring is initiated and reveals
the following ECG rhythm strip. The provider interprets this strip as
indicating which arrhythmia?
2/
15
1. A patient with a suspected stroke arrives at the emergency department at
7:10 p.m. The stroke team ensures that a comprehensive neurologic assess-
ment using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) is
completed and that brain imaging is performed by which time?
Answer 7:30pm
2. A 30-year-old patient has been brought to the emergency department in
cardiac arrest. The cardiac monitor shows the following rhythm.
Interpretation of this rhythm would suggest which of the following as a
possible precipitating factor?
(EKG strip shows ventricular fibrillation)
Answer Electrocution
3.The ECG rhythm strip of a patient who arrived in the emergency
department complaining of dizziness, syncope and shortness of breath
reveals sinus bradycardia. When reviewing the patient's medication history,
the healthcare provider identifies which agent(s) as a potential cause of the
patient's current condition?
Answer Digoxin
Verapamil
Metoprolol
1/
15
, 4.A patient experiencing an unstable bradyarrhythmia does not respond
to atropine. Which interventions could the healthcare provider use next?
Answer Epi- nephrine/dopamine infusion
Transcutaneous pacing
5.A patient presents to the emergency department with mild to moderate re-
current chest pain, without any nausea or vomiting. A 12-lead ECG is
obtained and shows ST-segment depression with transient T-wave elevation
indicative of NSTE-ACS. Cardiac serum markers are obtained and are not
elevated. The patient's risk-stratification score indicates low risk. These
findings suggest which condition?
Answer Unstable angina
6.The following capnogram is from a patient experiencing respiratory
dis- tress. At which point in the waveform would the patient's ETCO2
level be measured?
Answer D (end of the peaked plateau, right before it inverts
downwards)
7.A patient comes to the emergency department complaining of palpitations
and "some shortness of breath." Cardiac monitoring is initiated and reveals
the following ECG rhythm strip. The provider interprets this strip as
indicating which arrhythmia?
2/
15
