ALS/ACLS - RED CROSS FINAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 100% PASS
2026 EDITION
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? - ANS Wide-complex ventricular rhythm or tall, pointed T waves
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? - ANS Atropine 0.5 mg every 4 to 5
minutes
A patient experiencing an unstable bradyarrhythmia does not respond to atropine or
transcutaneous pacing. Which intervention would the healthcare provider use next? -
ANS Administration of an epinephrine infusion
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? - ANS 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."
1
@2026 EDITION ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
, 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? - ANS Vagal maneuvers
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? - ANS Synchronized
cardioversion
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? - ANS Absence
of discrete P waves and presence of irregularly irregular QRS complexes
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? -
ANS Ventricular tachycardia
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? -
ANS Hyperkalemia
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: - ANS 120 to 200 joules
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? - ANS 10 to 20 mL
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? - ANS Electrocution
2
@2026 EDITION ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 100% PASS
2026 EDITION
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? - ANS Wide-complex ventricular rhythm or tall, pointed T waves
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? - ANS Atropine 0.5 mg every 4 to 5
minutes
A patient experiencing an unstable bradyarrhythmia does not respond to atropine or
transcutaneous pacing. Which intervention would the healthcare provider use next? -
ANS Administration of an epinephrine infusion
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? - ANS 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."
1
@2026 EDITION ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
, 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? - ANS Vagal maneuvers
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? - ANS Synchronized
cardioversion
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? - ANS Absence
of discrete P waves and presence of irregularly irregular QRS complexes
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? -
ANS Ventricular tachycardia
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? -
ANS Hyperkalemia
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: - ANS 120 to 200 joules
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? - ANS 10 to 20 mL
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? - ANS Electrocution
2
@2026 EDITION ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
