PALS HEARTCODE EXAM PAPER TEST
BANK 2026 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS GUARANTEED TO PASS
●● What are the signs of increased respiratory effort that can lead to
fatigue & respiratory failure?.
Answer: Nasal flaring
Retractions
Head bobbing
Seesaw respirations
●● Determine the respiratory rate by counting the number of times the
chest rises in [blank] seconds & multiplying by [blank]..
Answer: 30
2
●● Tachypnea is often the first sign of respiratory [blank] in infants..
Answer: Distress
●● What do central chemoreceptors respond to?.
Answer: Hydrogen ions in the cerebrospinal fluid
,●● Why may excessive ventilation during CPR be harmful?.
Answer: It impedes venous return
It increases intrathoracic pressure
●● What should you do if you cannot achieve effective ventilation with
a bag-mask device?.
Answer: Reposition the airway
Verify the mask size
●● How are effective oxygenation & ventilation assessed?.
Answer: Oxygen saturation
Exhaled carbon dioxide
Visible chest rise w/ each breath
●● How can gastric inflation impair bag-mask ventilation?.
Answer: It decreases lung compliance
●● What is the most appropriate precautionary action to minimize
gastric inflation during a bag-mask ventilation?.
Answer: Deliver each breath over about 1 second
●● Which is true about the difference between hypoxemia & tissue
hypoxia?.
,Answer: Tissue hypoxia can occur with normal arterial oxygen
saturation
●● What does hyperventilation, which refers to increased alveolar
ventilation, result in?.
Answer: PaCO2 less than 35 mm Hg
●● What happens to the arterial oxygen level in a child w/ severe
anemia?.
Answer: May increase when dissolved oxygen is increased
●● Which is true of increased carbon dioxide tension in arterial blood?.
Answer: May be caused by disordered control of breathing
●● What happens when ventilation is inadequate?.
Answer: PaCO2 increases
●● What is a critical symptom of hypercarbia?.
Answer: Decreased level of consciousness
●● Which of the following indicates mild respiratory distress?.
Answer: Mild increase in respiratory effort
, ●● Which of the following indicates severe respiratory distress?.
Answer: Marked tachypnea &/or apnea
●● Which of the following statements about respiratory failure is true?.
Answer: May occur w/o signs of respiratory distress
●● Which is most likely to be present in a child who has respiratory
distress [not respiratory failure]?.
Answer: Ability to maintain a patent airway
●● What steps should be taken as part of initial management of a child
in respiratory distress?.
Answer: Support an open airway
Monitor O2 saturation by pulse oximetry
Monitor heart rate, rhythm, & bp
●● Which are ideal characteristics of face masks for ventilation?.
Answer: Covers mouth & nose
Has a soft rim
Transparent
●● What is the rationale for using a transparent mask?.
Answer: Allows you to see the color of the child's lips
BANK 2026 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS GUARANTEED TO PASS
●● What are the signs of increased respiratory effort that can lead to
fatigue & respiratory failure?.
Answer: Nasal flaring
Retractions
Head bobbing
Seesaw respirations
●● Determine the respiratory rate by counting the number of times the
chest rises in [blank] seconds & multiplying by [blank]..
Answer: 30
2
●● Tachypnea is often the first sign of respiratory [blank] in infants..
Answer: Distress
●● What do central chemoreceptors respond to?.
Answer: Hydrogen ions in the cerebrospinal fluid
,●● Why may excessive ventilation during CPR be harmful?.
Answer: It impedes venous return
It increases intrathoracic pressure
●● What should you do if you cannot achieve effective ventilation with
a bag-mask device?.
Answer: Reposition the airway
Verify the mask size
●● How are effective oxygenation & ventilation assessed?.
Answer: Oxygen saturation
Exhaled carbon dioxide
Visible chest rise w/ each breath
●● How can gastric inflation impair bag-mask ventilation?.
Answer: It decreases lung compliance
●● What is the most appropriate precautionary action to minimize
gastric inflation during a bag-mask ventilation?.
Answer: Deliver each breath over about 1 second
●● Which is true about the difference between hypoxemia & tissue
hypoxia?.
,Answer: Tissue hypoxia can occur with normal arterial oxygen
saturation
●● What does hyperventilation, which refers to increased alveolar
ventilation, result in?.
Answer: PaCO2 less than 35 mm Hg
●● What happens to the arterial oxygen level in a child w/ severe
anemia?.
Answer: May increase when dissolved oxygen is increased
●● Which is true of increased carbon dioxide tension in arterial blood?.
Answer: May be caused by disordered control of breathing
●● What happens when ventilation is inadequate?.
Answer: PaCO2 increases
●● What is a critical symptom of hypercarbia?.
Answer: Decreased level of consciousness
●● Which of the following indicates mild respiratory distress?.
Answer: Mild increase in respiratory effort
, ●● Which of the following indicates severe respiratory distress?.
Answer: Marked tachypnea &/or apnea
●● Which of the following statements about respiratory failure is true?.
Answer: May occur w/o signs of respiratory distress
●● Which is most likely to be present in a child who has respiratory
distress [not respiratory failure]?.
Answer: Ability to maintain a patent airway
●● What steps should be taken as part of initial management of a child
in respiratory distress?.
Answer: Support an open airway
Monitor O2 saturation by pulse oximetry
Monitor heart rate, rhythm, & bp
●● Which are ideal characteristics of face masks for ventilation?.
Answer: Covers mouth & nose
Has a soft rim
Transparent
●● What is the rationale for using a transparent mask?.
Answer: Allows you to see the color of the child's lips
