BLS Respiratory Arrest 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When using a pocket mask for rescue breathing, where should you position yourself relative to the patient?
- At the patient's side near the head (Correct answer)
- Directly above the patient's chest
- At the patient's feet
- On the left side of the patient's torso
Correct answer: At the patient's side near the head
Positioning at the patient's side near the head allows proper mask seal and head-tilt with one or two hands.
Question 2: A drowning victim is pulled from water, is unresponsive, and has no breathing. What should be done first?
- Open the airway and give 2 rescue breaths before anything else (Correct answer)
- Begin chest compressions immediately without rescue breaths
- Apply an AED right away
- Roll them to drain water, then begin compressions
Correct answer: Open the airway and give 2 rescue breaths before anything else
Drowning victims have hypoxia as the primary cause, so AHA recommends starting with 2 rescue breaths before compressions.
Question 3: When performing the head-tilt–chin-lift, which condition should make you use a jaw-thrust instead?
- Suspected cervical spine injury (Correct answer)
- Known diabetes
- History of asthma
- Patient is obese
Correct answer: Suspected cervical spine injury
A jaw-thrust opens the airway without extending the neck, protecting a potentially injured cervical spine.
Question 4: You are alone with an adult who is in respiratory arrest with a pulse. Which action is most appropriate?
- Call 911, then provide rescue breaths at 1 per 5–6 seconds (Correct answer)
- Call 911 and wait for EMS — do not intervene alone
- Begin CPR at 30:2 without calling 911
- Give a precordial thump and reassess
Correct answer: Call 911, then provide rescue breaths at 1 per 5–6 seconds
Activate EMS first, then provide rescue breaths since the patient still has a pulse.
Question 5: Which finding during rescue breathing indicates gastric inflation is occurring?
- The abdomen rises rather than the chest (Correct answer)
- The patient's lips turn pink
- The bag-mask valve makes a clicking sound
- Oxygen saturation drops during ventilation
Correct answer: The abdomen rises rather than the chest
Visible abdominal rise instead of chest rise suggests air is entering the stomach, increasing aspiration risk.
Question 6: An infant is found unresponsive with no breathing but has a pulse above 60/min. What is the correct next step?
- Provide rescue breaths at 1 every 2–3 seconds (Correct answer)
- Begin CPR with 30 compressions and 2 breaths
- Administer epinephrine and await EMS
- Begin CPR with 15 compressions and 2 breaths
Correct answer: Provide rescue breaths at 1 every 2–3 seconds
Infants with a pulse >60/min and absent breathing need rescue breathing only, at 20–30 breaths/min.
Question 7: What is the maximum time you should spend attempting to establish an airway before resuming CPR in cardiac arrest?
- 10 seconds (Correct answer)
- 30 seconds
- 60 seconds
- 2 minutes
Correct answer: 10 seconds
Minimize interruptions; any single attempt to open or secure the airway should take no longer than 10 seconds.
BLS Respiratory Arrest 3
When using a pocket mask for rescue breathing, where should you position yourself relative to the patient?