CPR Assessment & Recognition of Cardiac Arrest 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: You find an adult collapsed on the floor. After ensuring the scene is safe, what is your FIRST action?
- Begin chest compressions immediately
- Check for a pulse for 10 seconds
- Check for responsiveness by tapping and shouting (Correct answer)
- Open the airway with a head-tilt
Correct answer: Check for responsiveness by tapping and shouting
The first step is to check responsiveness by tapping the shoulders and shouting before doing anything else.
Question 2: How long should a trained rescuer take to check for breathing and a pulse simultaneously in an adult?
- No more than 10 seconds (Correct answer)
- At least 30 seconds
- Exactly 60 seconds
- 5 seconds maximum
Correct answer: No more than 10 seconds
The combined breathing and pulse check should take no more than 10 seconds to avoid delaying CPR.
Question 3: An unresponsive adult is taking occasional irregular gasps. How should you interpret this?
- Normal breathing, so monitor only
- Agonal gasping, treat as cardiac arrest (Correct answer)
- Mild choking, give back blows
- Sign of recovery, withhold CPR
Correct answer: Agonal gasping, treat as cardiac arrest
Agonal gasps are not normal breathing and indicate cardiac arrest requiring immediate CPR.
Question 4: Where should a trained lay rescuer check for a pulse in an unresponsive adult?
- Radial artery at the wrist
- Carotid artery at the neck (Correct answer)
- Femoral artery at the groin
- Brachial artery at the upper arm
Correct answer: Carotid artery at the neck
The carotid pulse at the neck is the recommended site for checking circulation in an adult.
Question 5: What is the recommended pulse-check site for an infant under 1 year old?
- Carotid artery
- Radial artery
- Brachial artery (Correct answer)
- Pedal artery
Correct answer: Brachial artery
The brachial artery on the inside of the upper arm is used to check an infant's pulse.
Question 6: If you are alone with no phone and find an unresponsive adult in cardiac arrest, what should you do?
- Leave to find help, then return
- Activate EMS using available means and get an AED if quickly accessible (Correct answer)
- Wait for someone to arrive
- Perform 5 cycles before doing anything
Correct answer: Activate EMS using available means and get an AED if quickly accessible
You should activate EMS as soon as possible and retrieve an AED if one is nearby, then begin CPR.
Question 7: Which finding most reliably confirms that an adult needs CPR?
- Pale skin color
- Closed eyes
- Unresponsiveness with no normal breathing (Correct answer)
- Cold hands
Correct answer: Unresponsiveness with no normal breathing
Unresponsiveness combined with absent or abnormal breathing indicates cardiac arrest and the need for CPR.
CPR Assessment & Recognition of Cardiac Arrest 2
You find an adult collapsed on the floor.
After ensuring the scene is safe, what is your FIRST action?