ALS/ACLS - RED CROSS EXAM 2026-
27 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
Wide-complex ventricular rhythm or tall, pointed T waves - <<<<CORRECT
ANSWERS>>>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 - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>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 - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>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." - <<<<CORRECT
ANSWERS>>>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?
Vagal maneuvers - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>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 - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>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 -
<<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>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 - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>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 - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>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 - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>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 - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>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 - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>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?
Administer 1 shock. - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>Cardiac monitoring of a patient in
cardiac arrest reveals ventricular fibrillation. What intervention would the team perform
next?
Tension pneumothorax - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>A patient has experienced
return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after cardiac arrest. The healthcare team is
conducting a secondary assessment to determine the possible cause of the patient's
cardiac arrest. Before the arrest, the patient exhibited jugular venous distension,
cyanosis, apnea and hyperresonance on percussion. The patient was also difficult to
ventilate during the response. The team would most likely suspect which condition as
the cause?
1. SaO2 92%
2. PaCO2 35 mmHg
3. ETCO2 50 mmHg - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>A patient in cardiac arrest
experiences return of spontaneous circulation. As part of post-cardiac arrest care, the
patient is receiving mechanical ventilation. Which finding(s) would indicate the need for
change in the ventilator settings to optimize the patient's ventilation and oxygenation?
1. Applying cooling blankets to the patient's body
2. Giving an ice-cold IV fluid bolus
27 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
Wide-complex ventricular rhythm or tall, pointed T waves - <<<<CORRECT
ANSWERS>>>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 - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>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 - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>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." - <<<<CORRECT
ANSWERS>>>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?
Vagal maneuvers - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>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 - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>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 -
<<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>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 - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>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 - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>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 - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>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 - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>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 - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>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?
Administer 1 shock. - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>Cardiac monitoring of a patient in
cardiac arrest reveals ventricular fibrillation. What intervention would the team perform
next?
Tension pneumothorax - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>A patient has experienced
return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after cardiac arrest. The healthcare team is
conducting a secondary assessment to determine the possible cause of the patient's
cardiac arrest. Before the arrest, the patient exhibited jugular venous distension,
cyanosis, apnea and hyperresonance on percussion. The patient was also difficult to
ventilate during the response. The team would most likely suspect which condition as
the cause?
1. SaO2 92%
2. PaCO2 35 mmHg
3. ETCO2 50 mmHg - <<<<CORRECT ANSWERS>>>A patient in cardiac arrest
experiences return of spontaneous circulation. As part of post-cardiac arrest care, the
patient is receiving mechanical ventilation. Which finding(s) would indicate the need for
change in the ventilator settings to optimize the patient's ventilation and oxygenation?
1. Applying cooling blankets to the patient's body
2. Giving an ice-cold IV fluid bolus
