PALS Pediatric Advanced Life Support – Practice Exam &
Review | 2026 | Graded A+
1. The Glasgow Coma Scale is a simple instrument to use in a systematic assessment
of unconsciousness. It is based on the patient's response in three major areas. They
are:
Verbal, sensation, motor
Eye, motor, verbal
Eye, pain, verbal
Verbal, pain, reflexes
2. What is the maximum duration for a pulse check in children according to pediatric
emergency care guidelines?
no more than 10 seconds no
more than 20 seconds no
more than 5 seconds no
more than 15 seconds
3. Simple measures for maintaining airway patency include all of the following EXCEPT
which intervention?
Nasopharyngeal airway
Jaw thrust
Continuous positive airway pressure
Head tilt chin lift
,4. Grunting respirations in a pediatric patient:
Indicate severe constipation.
Require direct auscultation of the patient's in order to be audible.
Are normal findings in a healthy patient.
Are an indication of significant respiratory distress from small airway collapse.
5. Which intervention is NOT considered a simple measure for maintaining airway
patency?
Nasopharyngeal airway
Jaw thrust
Continuous positive airway pressure
Head tilt chin lift
6. The normal range for a respiratory rate in a child is:
15 to 30 respirations per minute.
12 to 20 respirations per minute.
None of the above
25 to 60 respirations per minute.
7. In a scenario where a child presents with weak peripheral pulses but strong central
pulses, what should be the next step in the assessment of circulation?
Administer CPR immediately without further assessment.
Focus solely on airway management.
Only monitor the central pulses and wait for improvement.
, Evaluate the overall circulatory status and consider further interventions.
8. If a child collapses during a sports event, what immediate action should be taken
based on the knowledge of sudden cardiac arrest occurrences?
Wait for the child to regain consciousness
Initiate CPR and call for emergency medical assistance
Check for signs of dehydration
Move the child to a cooler area
9. Which response is most critical in the Glasgow coma scale for an intubated or
unconscious child?
Motor
Verbal
Cognitive
Eye-opening
10. In a scenario where a pediatric patient presents with altered consciousness and
abnormal motor responses, which aspect of the ABCDE model should be prioritized
for assessment?
Airway management
Breathing assessment
Circulatory status
Neurologic function
11. Which of the following conditions is commonly associated with sudden cardiac
arrest in children? (Choose all that apply) obesity, hypertension, sleep apnea
, long QT syndrome, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, drug intoxication
asthma, diabetes, epilepsy pneumonia, dehydration, anemia
12. In a scenario where a child presents with a pale appearance, labored
breathing, and lethargy, which aspects of the PALS systematic approach
should be prioritized for immediate intervention?
Color and Pain
Breathing and Pain
Restlessness and Color
Appearance and Breathing
13. In the PALS assessment what 3 things are we checking?
Consciousness, color, O2 level
Consciousness, breathing and color
Appearance, work of breathing, circulation
14. In a scenario where a child is found unresponsive after a fall, how would you apply
the AVPU scale to assess their condition?
By measuring the child's heart rate and blood pressure.
By assessing the child's pupils and breathing rate.
By performing a full physical examination of the child.
By checking if the child is Alert, responds to Voice, reacts to Pain, or is
Unresponsive.
15. What is the specific decrease in systolic blood pressure that indicates the need for
serial evaluations for shock in pediatric patients?
Review | 2026 | Graded A+
1. The Glasgow Coma Scale is a simple instrument to use in a systematic assessment
of unconsciousness. It is based on the patient's response in three major areas. They
are:
Verbal, sensation, motor
Eye, motor, verbal
Eye, pain, verbal
Verbal, pain, reflexes
2. What is the maximum duration for a pulse check in children according to pediatric
emergency care guidelines?
no more than 10 seconds no
more than 20 seconds no
more than 5 seconds no
more than 15 seconds
3. Simple measures for maintaining airway patency include all of the following EXCEPT
which intervention?
Nasopharyngeal airway
Jaw thrust
Continuous positive airway pressure
Head tilt chin lift
,4. Grunting respirations in a pediatric patient:
Indicate severe constipation.
Require direct auscultation of the patient's in order to be audible.
Are normal findings in a healthy patient.
Are an indication of significant respiratory distress from small airway collapse.
5. Which intervention is NOT considered a simple measure for maintaining airway
patency?
Nasopharyngeal airway
Jaw thrust
Continuous positive airway pressure
Head tilt chin lift
6. The normal range for a respiratory rate in a child is:
15 to 30 respirations per minute.
12 to 20 respirations per minute.
None of the above
25 to 60 respirations per minute.
7. In a scenario where a child presents with weak peripheral pulses but strong central
pulses, what should be the next step in the assessment of circulation?
Administer CPR immediately without further assessment.
Focus solely on airway management.
Only monitor the central pulses and wait for improvement.
, Evaluate the overall circulatory status and consider further interventions.
8. If a child collapses during a sports event, what immediate action should be taken
based on the knowledge of sudden cardiac arrest occurrences?
Wait for the child to regain consciousness
Initiate CPR and call for emergency medical assistance
Check for signs of dehydration
Move the child to a cooler area
9. Which response is most critical in the Glasgow coma scale for an intubated or
unconscious child?
Motor
Verbal
Cognitive
Eye-opening
10. In a scenario where a pediatric patient presents with altered consciousness and
abnormal motor responses, which aspect of the ABCDE model should be prioritized
for assessment?
Airway management
Breathing assessment
Circulatory status
Neurologic function
11. Which of the following conditions is commonly associated with sudden cardiac
arrest in children? (Choose all that apply) obesity, hypertension, sleep apnea
, long QT syndrome, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, drug intoxication
asthma, diabetes, epilepsy pneumonia, dehydration, anemia
12. In a scenario where a child presents with a pale appearance, labored
breathing, and lethargy, which aspects of the PALS systematic approach
should be prioritized for immediate intervention?
Color and Pain
Breathing and Pain
Restlessness and Color
Appearance and Breathing
13. In the PALS assessment what 3 things are we checking?
Consciousness, color, O2 level
Consciousness, breathing and color
Appearance, work of breathing, circulation
14. In a scenario where a child is found unresponsive after a fall, how would you apply
the AVPU scale to assess their condition?
By measuring the child's heart rate and blood pressure.
By assessing the child's pupils and breathing rate.
By performing a full physical examination of the child.
By checking if the child is Alert, responds to Voice, reacts to Pain, or is
Unresponsive.
15. What is the specific decrease in systolic blood pressure that indicates the need for
serial evaluations for shock in pediatric patients?
