FREE BLS Certification: Cardiac Arrest Questions and Answers

Question 1

You see a middle-aged man collapse and hold his chest as you prepare to go into the elevator to go to the lunch room while you are alone and on your lunch break. Currently, the man is lying on the ground.
What should your initial course of action be in cases of cardiac arrest emergencies like this one?

Accepted Answer

verify scene safety

Answer

In any emergency situation, the absolute first step is always to ensure scene safety for yourself and the victim. You cannot effectively help someone if you become injured or put yourself in danger. Only after confirming the scene is safe should you proceed to check for unresponsiveness, call for help, and initiate further emergency actions like CPR or retrieving a defibrillator.

Question 2

You start the BLS healthcare professional adult cardiac arrest protocol after making sure the victim is in a secure location away from the elevator. What will you do right away?

Accepted Answer

check responsiveness

Answer

The very first step in the BLS healthcare professional adult cardiac arrest protocol, after ensuring scene safety, is to check for responsiveness. This initial assessment helps determine if the victim is conscious and requires further intervention. Only after confirming unresponsiveness do you proceed to call for help and assess for breathing and pulse.

Question 3

After determining that the man is not responding, you call out for assistance. After establishing inattentiveness and yelling for assistance, what action should you take next?

Accepted Answer

activate the emergency response system

Answer

After determining that the victim is unresponsive and calling out for assistance, the next crucial step for a single rescuer is to activate the emergency response system (e.g., call 911 or activate a 'code blue'). This ensures that professional help is on the way. Once activated, the rescuer can then proceed with further assessment and interventions like checking for a pulse and breathing.

Question 4

A nearby button marked "code blue" is pressed. Nobody has yet shown up to offer assistance. As a single rescuer, what should you do at this point?

Accepted Answer

Get an AED or defibrillator and emergency equipment

Answer

As a single rescuer, after activating the emergency response system (pressing 'code blue'), the next priority is to retrieve an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and any other emergency equipment. Early defibrillation is critical for survival in many cardiac arrest cases. While waiting for help to arrive, the rescuer should bring the AED back to the patient to be ready for use.

Question 5

You return to the patient after obtaining the AED. Another rescue team shows up to assist as you leave. Choose the two interventions that will be carried out concurrently now that there are two rescuers?

Accepted Answer

Power on the AED

Answer

With two rescuers present, BLS protocols emphasize concurrent actions to optimize care. While one rescuer can immediately begin CPR (chest compressions and ventilations), the other rescuer should prepare the AED. The first step in preparing the AED is to power it on, allowing it to guide the subsequent steps of pad placement and rhythm analysis.

BLS - Basic Life Support Practice Test

BLS - Basic Life Support Practice Test

FREE BLS Certification: Cardiac Arrest Questions and Answers