American Heart Association Basic Life
Support Exam UPDATED ACTUAL
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
A victim with a foreign-body airway obstruction becomes unresponsive. What is your first
course of action?
A. start CPR, beginning with chest compressions
B. roll the victim over and perform back blows
C. perform abdominal thrusts
D. perform blind finger sweeps - Correct answers✔✔A. start CPR, beginning with chest
compressions
How can rescuers ensure that they are providing effective breaths when using a bag-mask
device?
A. observing the chest rise with each breath
B. always having oxygen attached to the bag
C. delivering breaths quickly and forcefully
D. allowing air to release around the mask - Correct answers✔✔A. observing the chest rise with
each breath
Which characteristics of chest compressions in high-quality CPR are given to a child?
A. at least 1/3 of the depth of the chest, approximately 2 inches (5 cm)
B. at least 1/2 of of the depth of the chest, approximately 3 inches (8 cm)
C. at least 2/3 of the depth of the chest, approximately 4 inches (10 cm)
D. at least 1/4 of the depth of the chest, approximately 1.5 inches (4 cm) - Correct answers✔✔A.
at least 1/3 of the depth of the chest, approximately 2 inches (5 cm)
, Which adult victim requires high-quality CPR?
A. has normal breathing and a pulse
B. has no normal breathing and no pulse
C. has a pulse and is having trouble breathing
D. has a strong pulse and is breathing - Correct answers✔✔B. has no normal breathing and no
pulse
You witness someone suddenly collapse. The person is unresponsive, you hear gasping sounds,
and there is no pulse. You phone 9-1-1. What should you do next?
A. begin CPR; the gasps are not normal breathing
B. give rescue breaths only; the gasps are not normal breathing
C. monitor the patient; the gasps are considered normal breathing
D. begin CPR even though the gasping is normal breathing - Correct answers✔✔A. begin CPR;
the gasps are not normal breathing
When the AED arrives, what is the first step for using it?
A. apply the pads to the chest
B. clear the patient
C. turn on the AED
D. press the shock button - Correct answers✔✔C. turn on the AED
After the AED pads are attached to the person, the AED detects ventricular fibrillation. What is
the next step when using an AED?
A. press the shock button
B. follow the AED prompts
C. check for a carotid pulse
Support Exam UPDATED ACTUAL
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
A victim with a foreign-body airway obstruction becomes unresponsive. What is your first
course of action?
A. start CPR, beginning with chest compressions
B. roll the victim over and perform back blows
C. perform abdominal thrusts
D. perform blind finger sweeps - Correct answers✔✔A. start CPR, beginning with chest
compressions
How can rescuers ensure that they are providing effective breaths when using a bag-mask
device?
A. observing the chest rise with each breath
B. always having oxygen attached to the bag
C. delivering breaths quickly and forcefully
D. allowing air to release around the mask - Correct answers✔✔A. observing the chest rise with
each breath
Which characteristics of chest compressions in high-quality CPR are given to a child?
A. at least 1/3 of the depth of the chest, approximately 2 inches (5 cm)
B. at least 1/2 of of the depth of the chest, approximately 3 inches (8 cm)
C. at least 2/3 of the depth of the chest, approximately 4 inches (10 cm)
D. at least 1/4 of the depth of the chest, approximately 1.5 inches (4 cm) - Correct answers✔✔A.
at least 1/3 of the depth of the chest, approximately 2 inches (5 cm)
, Which adult victim requires high-quality CPR?
A. has normal breathing and a pulse
B. has no normal breathing and no pulse
C. has a pulse and is having trouble breathing
D. has a strong pulse and is breathing - Correct answers✔✔B. has no normal breathing and no
pulse
You witness someone suddenly collapse. The person is unresponsive, you hear gasping sounds,
and there is no pulse. You phone 9-1-1. What should you do next?
A. begin CPR; the gasps are not normal breathing
B. give rescue breaths only; the gasps are not normal breathing
C. monitor the patient; the gasps are considered normal breathing
D. begin CPR even though the gasping is normal breathing - Correct answers✔✔A. begin CPR;
the gasps are not normal breathing
When the AED arrives, what is the first step for using it?
A. apply the pads to the chest
B. clear the patient
C. turn on the AED
D. press the shock button - Correct answers✔✔C. turn on the AED
After the AED pads are attached to the person, the AED detects ventricular fibrillation. What is
the next step when using an AED?
A. press the shock button
B. follow the AED prompts
C. check for a carotid pulse
