PALS FINAL RED CROSS Exam
Questions and Complete Solutions
A 4-month old infant is brought to the emergency department in cardiac arrest. Which condition would
the team identify as the most common cause of cardiac arrest in an infant of this age? - Ans: sudden
infant death syndrome is the most common cause in infants younger than 6 months of age.
The PALS resuscitation team is providing care to an intubated child in cardiac arrest. Which result best
determines the adequacy of the team's chest compressions? - Ans: End-tidal carbon dioxide level
between 15 and 20 mmHg
The emergency response team is providing care to a preschooler who is experiencing shock. Which
therapeutic goal, common to all types of shock, does the team work to achieve? - Ans: The primary
therapeutic goal in shock, regardless of cause, is to restore a favorable balance between oxygen delivery
and oxygen demand.
A 9-year-old child is brought to the emergency department because the child suddenly collapsed at
school. The child's ECG reveals the following waveform, and primary assessment findings indicate that
the child is hemodynamically unstable. Which primary assessment findings indicate this? - Ans:
Decreased level of consciousness, Hypotension, Difficulty breathing, Mottling
A child is experiencing shock. The emergency response team prepares for imminent cardiac arrest when
assessment reveals which finding(s)? - Ans: Hypotension, Bradycardia, Diminished central pulses
An 11-year-old soccer player is brought to the emergency department. After a quick assessment, the
team realizes this patient is experiencing a severe asthma exacerbation. Which medication would the
team administer first? - Ans: Albuterol plus ipratropium bromide
The PALS team is providing post-cardiac arrest care to an 8-year-old child in the pediatric intensive care
unit. Which intervention would the team implement to achieve the primary goal of post-cardiac arrest
care? - Ans: Ensuring adequate mean arterial pressure
