American Red Cross ACLS Final Exam (Exam Elaborations questions and Answers 2026)

American Red Cross ACLS Final Exam (Exam Elaborations questions and Answers 2026).pdf
A patient is in cardiac arrest. The cardiac monitor shows asystole. In addition to providing
continuous high-quality CPR, what is the other priority intervention for this patient?
✔✔Administering epinephrine as early as possible
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?
✔✔Tension Pneumothorax
A patient with suspected stroke arrives at the emergency department. The patient is diagnosed
with acute ischemic stroke and is a candidate for fibrinolytic therapy. To achieve the best
outcomes, this therapy should be initiated within what time frame? ✔✔Within 1 hour of
patient's arrival.
A 28-year-old pregnant patient who resides in transitional housing presents to the emergency
department with complaints of feeling feverish and very faint. The patient tells the emergency
nurse that she does not know when she became pregnant. Upon palpation, the fundus is not at
or above the umbilicus. The patient's condition quickly deteriorates and she goes into cardiac
arrest. If available and able to be used without impeding or delaying the resuscitation effort,
what diagnostic tool could be used to guide decision-making in the care of this patient?
✔✔Point-of-care ultrasound
A patient in the telemetry unit is receiving continuous cardiac monitoring. The patient has a
history of myocardial infarction. The patient's ECG rhythm strip is shown in the following figure.
The provider interprets this strip as indicating which arrhythmia? ✔✔Third-degree AV block
pulse and is not showing any signs of hemodynamic compromise. A 12-lead ECG reveals an
Cardiac monitoring indicates that a patient has a ventricular tachyarrhythmia. The patient has a