ALS/ACLS - RED CROSS FINAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 100% PASS
2026 EDITION
Wide-complex ventricular rhythm or tall, pointed T waves - ANS 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?
Atropine 0.5 mg every 4 to 5 minutes - ANS A patient with dyspnea and a change in mental
status arrives at the emergency department. The healthcare team completes the necessary
assessments and begins to care for the patient, including initiating cardiac monitoring, pulse
oximetry, supplemental oxygen and vascular access. The team reviews the patient's ECG rhythm
strip, as shown in the following figure. Which agent would the team most likely administer?
Administration of an epinephrine infusion - ANS A patient experiencing an unstable
bradyarrhythmia does not respond to atropine or transcutaneous pacing. Which intervention
would the healthcare provider use next?
1. "I've had a terrible cold with a horrible cough and fever the past week."
2. "I've been so anxious lately because I just lost my job."
3. "I've been vomiting for the past 2 days from a gastrointestinal bug." - ANS A patient's ECG
reveals a tachyarrhythmia. The patient is hemodynamically stable and has a heart rate ranging
from 120 to 135 beats per minute. Based on the findings of the secondary assessment, which
statement(s) by the patient would the team interpret as a possible contributing cause?
1
@2026 EDITION ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
, Vagal maneuvers - ANS 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?
Synchronized cardioversion - ANS 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?
Absence of discrete P waves and presence of irregularly irregular QRS complexes - ANS An
ECG strip of a patient in the emergency department reveals the following rhythm. Which
feature would the healthcare provider interpret as indicating atrial fibrillation?
Ventricular tachycardia - ANS A patient is brought into the emergency department. The
patient does not have a pulse. The cardiac monitor shows the following rhythm. The team
interprets this as which condition?
Hyperkalemia - ANS A patient with acute renal failure experiences cardiac arrest. Just before
the cardiac arrest, the patient's ECG showed peaked T waves. What might be causing the
patient's cardiac arrest?
120 to 200 joules - ANS A member of the resuscitation team is preparing to defibrillate a
patient in cardiac arrest using a biphasic defibrillator. The team member would set the energy
dose according to the manufacturer's recommendations, which is usually:
10 to 20 mL - ANS 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?
Electrocution - ANS A 30-year-old patient has been brought to the emergency department in
full cardiac arrest. The cardiac monitor shows the following rhythm. Interpretation of this
rhythm would suggest which of the following as a possible precipitating factor?
2
@2026 EDITION ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 100% PASS
2026 EDITION
Wide-complex ventricular rhythm or tall, pointed T waves - ANS 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?
Atropine 0.5 mg every 4 to 5 minutes - ANS A patient with dyspnea and a change in mental
status arrives at the emergency department. The healthcare team completes the necessary
assessments and begins to care for the patient, including initiating cardiac monitoring, pulse
oximetry, supplemental oxygen and vascular access. The team reviews the patient's ECG rhythm
strip, as shown in the following figure. Which agent would the team most likely administer?
Administration of an epinephrine infusion - ANS A patient experiencing an unstable
bradyarrhythmia does not respond to atropine or transcutaneous pacing. Which intervention
would the healthcare provider use next?
1. "I've had a terrible cold with a horrible cough and fever the past week."
2. "I've been so anxious lately because I just lost my job."
3. "I've been vomiting for the past 2 days from a gastrointestinal bug." - ANS A patient's ECG
reveals a tachyarrhythmia. The patient is hemodynamically stable and has a heart rate ranging
from 120 to 135 beats per minute. Based on the findings of the secondary assessment, which
statement(s) by the patient would the team interpret as a possible contributing cause?
1
@2026 EDITION ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
, Vagal maneuvers - ANS 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?
Synchronized cardioversion - ANS 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?
Absence of discrete P waves and presence of irregularly irregular QRS complexes - ANS An
ECG strip of a patient in the emergency department reveals the following rhythm. Which
feature would the healthcare provider interpret as indicating atrial fibrillation?
Ventricular tachycardia - ANS A patient is brought into the emergency department. The
patient does not have a pulse. The cardiac monitor shows the following rhythm. The team
interprets this as which condition?
Hyperkalemia - ANS A patient with acute renal failure experiences cardiac arrest. Just before
the cardiac arrest, the patient's ECG showed peaked T waves. What might be causing the
patient's cardiac arrest?
120 to 200 joules - ANS A member of the resuscitation team is preparing to defibrillate a
patient in cardiac arrest using a biphasic defibrillator. The team member would set the energy
dose according to the manufacturer's recommendations, which is usually:
10 to 20 mL - ANS 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?
Electrocution - ANS A 30-year-old patient has been brought to the emergency department in
full cardiac arrest. The cardiac monitor shows the following rhythm. Interpretation of this
rhythm would suggest which of the following as a possible precipitating factor?
2
@2026 EDITION ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
