Advanced Life Support (ALS) Online
Session Final Exam Questions and
Answers
1.A patient's ECG reveals a narrow QRS complex with a regular rhythm,
indicating a narrow-complex supraventricular tachyarrhythmia. The patient
is hemodynamically stable. Which intervention would be initiated first?
Answer Vagal maneuvers
For a patient who is hemodynamically stable and experiencing a
narrow-complex supraventricular tachyarrhythmia, vagal maneuvers are
attempted first. If ineffective, adenosine is given.
2.A patient's capnogram reveals the following waveform. Which segment
would the healthcare provider interpret as reflecting the beginning of
exhalation?
Answer A-B
The A-B segment is the respiratory baseline that represents the
beginning of exhalation.
3.A patient experiencing an unstable bradyarrhythmia does not respond to
atropine or transcutaneous pacing. Which intervention would the
,healthcare provider use next?
Answer Administration of an epinephrine infusion.
Epinephrine or dopamine may be administered to patients with
symptomatic brady- cardia if atropine and transcutaneous pacing are
not effective.
4.A patient with a suspected stroke arrives at the emergency department at
7:10 p.m. The stroke team ensures that a neurologic assessment and brain
computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging is obtained by
which time?
Answer 7:30 p.m.
In accordance with National Institute of Neurological Disorders and
Stroke guide- lines, the stroke team, emergency physician or other
expert must conduct a neuro- logic assessment and obtain computed
tomography or magnetic resonance imaging within 20 minutes after the
patient's arrival in the emergency department. That would be 7:30 p.m.
for this patient.
5.A patient in the telemetry unit is stable. Cardiac monitoring indicates the
patient has ventricular tachycardia with a pulse. Further assessment
reveals that the corrected QT interval is greater than 0.46 seconds. Which
treatment would be appropriate at this time?
Answer Synchronized cardioversion
, For a patient with ventricular tachycardia who is stable, has a pulse and
has a corrected QT interval greater than 0.46 seconds, synchronized
cardioversion is the recommended treatment.
6.A resuscitation team is debriefing following a recent event. A patient ex-
perienced cardiac arrest, and advanced cardiac life support was initiated.
The patient required the placement of an advanced airway to maintain air-
way patency. Which statement indicates that the team performed high-
quality CPR?
Answer "We delivered 1 ventilation every 6 seconds and chest
compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute."
When an advanced airway has been placed in a patient who is in
cardiac arrest, compressions and ventilations are delivered continuously
with no interruptions. One provider delivers 1 ventilation every 6
seconds, while the second provider performs compressions at a rate of
100 to 120 compressions per minute.
7.A healthcare provider initiates ventilations to ensure adequate breathing
and oxygenation. While ventilations are being performed, capnography is
es- tablished to evaluate the adequacy of the ventilations. The healthcare
provider determines that ventilations are adequate based on which end-tidal
carbon dioxide (ETCO2) value?
Answer 35 to 45 mmHg
Session Final Exam Questions and
Answers
1.A patient's ECG reveals a narrow QRS complex with a regular rhythm,
indicating a narrow-complex supraventricular tachyarrhythmia. The patient
is hemodynamically stable. Which intervention would be initiated first?
Answer Vagal maneuvers
For a patient who is hemodynamically stable and experiencing a
narrow-complex supraventricular tachyarrhythmia, vagal maneuvers are
attempted first. If ineffective, adenosine is given.
2.A patient's capnogram reveals the following waveform. Which segment
would the healthcare provider interpret as reflecting the beginning of
exhalation?
Answer A-B
The A-B segment is the respiratory baseline that represents the
beginning of exhalation.
3.A patient experiencing an unstable bradyarrhythmia does not respond to
atropine or transcutaneous pacing. Which intervention would the
,healthcare provider use next?
Answer Administration of an epinephrine infusion.
Epinephrine or dopamine may be administered to patients with
symptomatic brady- cardia if atropine and transcutaneous pacing are
not effective.
4.A patient with a suspected stroke arrives at the emergency department at
7:10 p.m. The stroke team ensures that a neurologic assessment and brain
computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging is obtained by
which time?
Answer 7:30 p.m.
In accordance with National Institute of Neurological Disorders and
Stroke guide- lines, the stroke team, emergency physician or other
expert must conduct a neuro- logic assessment and obtain computed
tomography or magnetic resonance imaging within 20 minutes after the
patient's arrival in the emergency department. That would be 7:30 p.m.
for this patient.
5.A patient in the telemetry unit is stable. Cardiac monitoring indicates the
patient has ventricular tachycardia with a pulse. Further assessment
reveals that the corrected QT interval is greater than 0.46 seconds. Which
treatment would be appropriate at this time?
Answer Synchronized cardioversion
, For a patient with ventricular tachycardia who is stable, has a pulse and
has a corrected QT interval greater than 0.46 seconds, synchronized
cardioversion is the recommended treatment.
6.A resuscitation team is debriefing following a recent event. A patient ex-
perienced cardiac arrest, and advanced cardiac life support was initiated.
The patient required the placement of an advanced airway to maintain air-
way patency. Which statement indicates that the team performed high-
quality CPR?
Answer "We delivered 1 ventilation every 6 seconds and chest
compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute."
When an advanced airway has been placed in a patient who is in
cardiac arrest, compressions and ventilations are delivered continuously
with no interruptions. One provider delivers 1 ventilation every 6
seconds, while the second provider performs compressions at a rate of
100 to 120 compressions per minute.
7.A healthcare provider initiates ventilations to ensure adequate breathing
and oxygenation. While ventilations are being performed, capnography is
es- tablished to evaluate the adequacy of the ventilations. The healthcare
provider determines that ventilations are adequate based on which end-tidal
carbon dioxide (ETCO2) value?
Answer 35 to 45 mmHg
