RCI Red Cross Instructor First Aid & CPR Training 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During an infant CPR skills station, an instructor candidate asks students where to check for a pulse on an infant. Which is correct?
- Carotid artery in the neck
- Radial artery at the wrist
- Brachial artery on the upper inner arm (Correct answer)
- Femoral artery in the groin
Correct answer: Brachial artery on the upper inner arm
For infants, the brachial artery on the upper inner arm is used for pulse checks because the neck is short and fat, making carotid palpation difficult.
Question 2: A Red Cross instructor is reviewing conscious choking management for adults. Which action is performed if the victim becomes unconscious?
- Continue abdominal thrusts with the victim on the floor
- Lower the victim to the floor and begin CPR, looking in the mouth before each breath (Correct answer)
- Attempt back blows while the victim is supine
- Activate EMS and wait; do not attempt CPR until paramedics arrive
Correct answer: Lower the victim to the floor and begin CPR, looking in the mouth before each breath
When an adult choking victim becomes unconscious, lower them carefully, call 911, and start CPR—looking in the mouth before each rescue breath to remove any visible obstruction.
Question 3: As an RCI instructor teaching stroke recognition, which mnemonic is used and what does each letter represent?
- FAST — Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 911 (Correct answer)
- STOP — Sudden headache, Trouble seeing, Onset confusion, Paralysis
- ACTS — Altered speech, Confusion, Tingling, Sudden fall
- RICE — Recognize, Identify, Call EMS, Evaluate
Correct answer: FAST — Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 911
The FAST mnemonic (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) is the Red Cross standard tool for lay responders to recognize and act on stroke symptoms.
Question 4: During an instructor-led scenario, a victim is found unresponsive and not breathing normally. A bystander offers to help. What is the most important task for the first rescuer to delegate?
- Retrieving the first aid kit from the building
- Calling 911 and obtaining the nearest AED (Correct answer)
- Documenting the time of collapse
- Loosening the victim's clothing
Correct answer: Calling 911 and obtaining the nearest AED
Activating EMS and retrieving an AED are the most time-critical tasks to delegate, as early defibrillation dramatically improves survival.
Question 5: An instructor candidate is evaluating a student's tourniquet application. Which criterion indicates incorrect technique?
- The tourniquet is applied 2–3 inches above the wound
- Time of application is written on the tourniquet or the victim's skin
- The tourniquet band is only one inch wide and made of thin rope (Correct answer)
- The tourniquet is tightened until bleeding stops
Correct answer: The tourniquet band is only one inch wide and made of thin rope
Tourniquets must be at least 1.5–2 inches wide; thin rope or wire can cause severe nerve and tissue damage and is not an acceptable improvised tourniquet.
Question 6: When teaching heat-related emergencies, instructors must distinguish heat exhaustion from heat stroke. Which sign most clearly indicates heat stroke rather than heat exhaustion?
- Heavy sweating and pale, moist skin
- Muscle cramps in the legs and abdomen
- Altered mental status, confusion, or unconsciousness (Correct answer)
- Dizziness and nausea after prolonged exertion in the sun
Correct answer: Altered mental status, confusion, or unconsciousness
Altered mental status or loss of consciousness is the hallmark distinguishing sign of heat stroke, indicating the body's temperature regulation has failed.
Question 7: A student in an RCI course asks whether it is safe to use an AED if the victim is lying on a wet surface. What should the instructor advise?
- Use the AED immediately; moisture does not affect AED safety
- Move the victim to a dry surface before attaching and using the AED (Correct answer)
- Place a rubber mat under the victim and use the AED without moving them
- Apply only one pad and deliver a single shock to reduce current spread
Correct answer: Move the victim to a dry surface before attaching and using the AED
The victim should be moved to a dry surface before AED use to prevent electrical current from traveling through the water and potentially injuring rescuers.
RCI Red Cross Instructor First Aid & CPR Training 3
During an infant CPR skills station, an instructor candidate asks students where to check for a pulse on an infant.
Which is correct?