YMCA BLS test questions and answers
2024\2025 A+ Grade
The BLS program is intended to:
1. Replace local protocols or medical direction.
2. Train BLS providers in resuscitation.
3. Train BLS providers in the context of your setting.
4. Train professional responders in advanced life support.
5. Prepare you to recognize cardiac arrest in patients of all ages.
- correct answer - train BLS providers in resuscitation
- prepare you to recognize cardiac arrest in patients of all ages
what is BLS
- correct answer basic life support
When the lower chambers of the heart beat too quickly or quiver, the heart cannot pump blood. These
abnormal heart rhythms, or dysrhythmias, are known as ___________________ and
_________________________.
1. Stroke, heart attack
2. Cardiac arrest, defibrillation
3. Secondary cardiac arrest, heart attack
,4. Pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VT), ventricular fibrillation (VF)
- correct answer Pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VT), ventricular fibrillation (VF)
You are a BLS provider assessing an unresponsive adult. The scene is safe, and you have taken standard
precautions. When you assess for breathing and pulse, you definitely feel a pulse and see the person is
breathing normally. You should:
1. Start CPR, beginning with compressions.
2. Provide rescue breathing.
3. Maintain an open airway.
4. Immediately use a nearby AED.
- correct answer Maintain an open airway.
When chest compressions stop, blood flow ______________________ significantly.
1. increases
2. decreases
3. improves
4. circulates
- correct answer decreases
To open the airway with a jaw thrust, position yourself:
,1. Above the patient's head.
2. At the side of the patient, below the hips.
3. At the side of the patient, close to the chest.
4. At the side of the patient, close to the head.
- correct answer above the patients head
Too many rescue breaths too quickly or breaths that are too large is _______________________, which
can be harmful.
1. Respiratory distress
2. Excessive ventilation
3. Respiratory arrest
4. Bag-mask ventilation
- correct answer Excessive ventilation
You are a lone BLS Provider responding to a possible adult cardiac arrest. The scene is safe. You have
taken standard precautions. The patient is unresponsive. You have activated EMS and/or your EAP.
Other providers are on the way. You have an AED. The patient is occasionally gasping. You do not feel a
carotid pulse. What should you do?
1. Immediately start CPR, beginning with chest compressions.
2. Power on the AED. Apply adult pads to the patient's bare chest.
3. Reassess the patient's responsiveness, airway, breathing, and pulse.
, 4. Open the airway and provide rescue breathing or bag-mask ventilation.
- correct answer Power on the AED. Apply adult pads to the patient's bare chest.
You are a lone BLS Provider responding to a possible cardiac arrest. The scene is safe. You have taken
standard precautions. An untrained bystander heard the person collapse. You have activated EMS
and/or your EAP. Other providers are on the way. An AED is located in the building, about 3 minutes
away. The adult patient is unresponsive and making gurgling sounds. You do not feel a carotid pulse. You
have a CPR mask with a one-way valve. What should you do?
1. Send the bystander to get the AED. Start high-quality CPR.
2. Get the AED. Tell the bystander to stay with the patient.
3. Open the airway and provide rescue breathing with the CPR mask.
4. Reassess the patient's responsiveness, airway, breathing, and pulse.
- correct answer send the bystander to get the AED. start high quality CPR
Four BLS Providers have been performing CPR on an adult cardiac arrest patient for 18 minutes. The last
switch in roles was only about a minute ago, but the compressor says, "I'm exhausted." What should
they do?
1. Stop compressions. Continue to ventilate the patient once every 6 seconds.
2. Encourage the compressor to continue to perform high-quality compressions.
3. Stop CPR for about 2 minutes to rest.
4. Switch out the compressor.
- correct answer switch out the compressor
2024\2025 A+ Grade
The BLS program is intended to:
1. Replace local protocols or medical direction.
2. Train BLS providers in resuscitation.
3. Train BLS providers in the context of your setting.
4. Train professional responders in advanced life support.
5. Prepare you to recognize cardiac arrest in patients of all ages.
- correct answer - train BLS providers in resuscitation
- prepare you to recognize cardiac arrest in patients of all ages
what is BLS
- correct answer basic life support
When the lower chambers of the heart beat too quickly or quiver, the heart cannot pump blood. These
abnormal heart rhythms, or dysrhythmias, are known as ___________________ and
_________________________.
1. Stroke, heart attack
2. Cardiac arrest, defibrillation
3. Secondary cardiac arrest, heart attack
,4. Pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VT), ventricular fibrillation (VF)
- correct answer Pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VT), ventricular fibrillation (VF)
You are a BLS provider assessing an unresponsive adult. The scene is safe, and you have taken standard
precautions. When you assess for breathing and pulse, you definitely feel a pulse and see the person is
breathing normally. You should:
1. Start CPR, beginning with compressions.
2. Provide rescue breathing.
3. Maintain an open airway.
4. Immediately use a nearby AED.
- correct answer Maintain an open airway.
When chest compressions stop, blood flow ______________________ significantly.
1. increases
2. decreases
3. improves
4. circulates
- correct answer decreases
To open the airway with a jaw thrust, position yourself:
,1. Above the patient's head.
2. At the side of the patient, below the hips.
3. At the side of the patient, close to the chest.
4. At the side of the patient, close to the head.
- correct answer above the patients head
Too many rescue breaths too quickly or breaths that are too large is _______________________, which
can be harmful.
1. Respiratory distress
2. Excessive ventilation
3. Respiratory arrest
4. Bag-mask ventilation
- correct answer Excessive ventilation
You are a lone BLS Provider responding to a possible adult cardiac arrest. The scene is safe. You have
taken standard precautions. The patient is unresponsive. You have activated EMS and/or your EAP.
Other providers are on the way. You have an AED. The patient is occasionally gasping. You do not feel a
carotid pulse. What should you do?
1. Immediately start CPR, beginning with chest compressions.
2. Power on the AED. Apply adult pads to the patient's bare chest.
3. Reassess the patient's responsiveness, airway, breathing, and pulse.
, 4. Open the airway and provide rescue breathing or bag-mask ventilation.
- correct answer Power on the AED. Apply adult pads to the patient's bare chest.
You are a lone BLS Provider responding to a possible cardiac arrest. The scene is safe. You have taken
standard precautions. An untrained bystander heard the person collapse. You have activated EMS
and/or your EAP. Other providers are on the way. An AED is located in the building, about 3 minutes
away. The adult patient is unresponsive and making gurgling sounds. You do not feel a carotid pulse. You
have a CPR mask with a one-way valve. What should you do?
1. Send the bystander to get the AED. Start high-quality CPR.
2. Get the AED. Tell the bystander to stay with the patient.
3. Open the airway and provide rescue breathing with the CPR mask.
4. Reassess the patient's responsiveness, airway, breathing, and pulse.
- correct answer send the bystander to get the AED. start high quality CPR
Four BLS Providers have been performing CPR on an adult cardiac arrest patient for 18 minutes. The last
switch in roles was only about a minute ago, but the compressor says, "I'm exhausted." What should
they do?
1. Stop compressions. Continue to ventilate the patient once every 6 seconds.
2. Encourage the compressor to continue to perform high-quality compressions.
3. Stop CPR for about 2 minutes to rest.
4. Switch out the compressor.
- correct answer switch out the compressor
