Basics Flashcards

After using an AED to shock someone, you should:

Answer: Start CPR, beginning with chest compressions

After delivering a shock with an automated external defibrillator (AED), the immediate next step is to resume chest compressions without delay. This is because even if the shock successfully terminates the lethal rhythm, the heart may still be stunned and require circulatory support. Interrupting compressions to check a pulse or reanalyze wastes critical time and reduces perfusion.

The compression-to-ventilation ratio during CPR when there is no advanced airway in place is:

Answer: 30:2

For adult CPR without an advanced airway, the recommended compression-to-ventilation ratio is 30 compressions followed by 2 breaths. This ratio applies to both single rescuer and two-rescuer CPR. This standard ensures adequate blood flow to vital organs while minimizing interruptions for ventilations.

Which of the following statements about CPR once an advanced airway has been established is true:

Answer: One breath every 6 seconds should be given

Once an advanced airway (like an ET tube or LMA) is in place, chest compressions should be continuous without pauses for ventilations. Breaths are given asynchronously at a rate of one breath every 6 seconds, which translates to approximately 10 breaths per minute. This allows for uninterrupted chest compressions, maximizing coronary and cerebral perfusion.

Suctioning attempts in ACLS scenarios should typically be:

Answer: ten seconds or less

Suctioning removes oxygen from the airway, potentially leading to hypoxemia and bradycardia. Therefore, suctioning attempts should be brief, typically limited to 10 seconds or less for adults. This minimizes interruptions to ventilation and oxygenation, which are critical during resuscitation.

Rescue breaths should be given at a rate of one breath every __ seconds to patients who are having respiratory arrest with a perfusing rhythm.

Answer: 6 seconds

For an adult patient in respiratory arrest with a pulse, rescue breaths should be delivered at a rate of one breath every 6 seconds. This translates to approximately 10 breaths per minute. This rate provides adequate ventilation without causing hyperventilation, which can lead to complications like gastric inflation and decreased cardiac output.

Any resuscitation attempt's success is based on:

Answer: defibrillation when required by the patients ECG rhythm

For patients in sudden cardiac arrest with a shockable rhythm (Ventricular Fibrillation or Pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia), timely and effective defibrillation is the most critical intervention for restoring a perfusing rhythm. While high-quality CPR is essential to maintain perfusion until defibrillation can occur, defibrillation is the definitive treatment that can terminate the lethal arrhythmia and is therefore a cornerstone of successful resuscitation when indicated by the patient's ECG rhythm.

For adult resuscitation, the most crucial algorithm to understand is:

Answer: Cardiac Arrest

The Cardiac Arrest Algorithm is the overarching framework for managing adult patients in cardiac arrest, encompassing the assessment, interventions, and treatment pathways for all arrest rhythms (VF/pVT, asystole, PEA). While PEA, Bradycardia, and Tachycardia are specific algorithms, they address particular clinical scenarios, whereas the Cardiac Arrest Algorithm guides the initial and ongoing management of the most critical life-threatening event.

Which of the subsequent procedures takes place prior to the BLS Assessment?

Answer: Ensure the safety of the scene.

Before initiating any patient assessment or intervention, the very first step in any emergency situation is to ensure scene safety. Rescuers must protect themselves from hazards before approaching a victim. Only after confirming the scene is safe can the BLS assessment (checking responsiveness, activating EMS, etc.) begin.

Which of the following statements regarding supplemental oxygen administration is true regarding the Primary Assessment's evaluation of (B)breathing? (Select any that apply.)

Answer: Give cardiac and respiratory arrest patients 100% oxygen

In cardiac and respiratory arrest, maximizing oxygen delivery to vital organs is paramount. Therefore, 100% supplemental oxygen should be administered to these patients. While other scenarios might aim for specific SpO2 targets to avoid hyperoxia, the immediate priority in arrest is full oxygenation to support cellular function.

Which of the following describes the proper order for BLS CPR?

Answer: Chest compressions, airway, breathing

The current BLS sequence for CPR is C-A-B: Chest compressions, Airway, then Breathing. This change prioritizes immediate chest compressions to maintain vital organ perfusion, as interruptions to compressions significantly reduce survival rates. Airway and breathing follow after the initial compressions.

All of the following—with the exception of—are instances of advanced airway adjuncts:

Answer: Oropharyngeal airway

Advanced airway adjuncts are devices that provide a definitive, secure airway, often isolating the trachea and requiring specific training for placement. Laryngeal tubes, LMAs, Combitubes, and Endotracheal tubes all fall into this category. An oropharyngeal airway (OPA), however, is a basic airway adjunct used to maintain an open airway by preventing the tongue from obstructing the pharynx, and it does not provide the same level of airway control as advanced devices.

Which statement regarding the oropharyngeal airway (OPA) is false:

Answer: On a patient who is aware, the OPA should only be applied.

The statement that an OPA should *only* be applied to an aware patient is false. In fact, an OPA should *not* be used in a conscious or semiconscious patient with an intact gag reflex, as it can induce gagging, vomiting, and aspiration. It is primarily used in unconscious patients to prevent tongue obstruction and facilitate ventilation.

Which of the following is FALSE while doing BLS/ACLS to a patient with a known or suspected cervical spine injury when trying to access the airway?

Answer: Use a head stabilizer to immobilize the body.

When managing an airway in a patient with suspected cervical spine injury, the primary goal is to minimize neck movement. The jaw-thrust maneuver is the preferred method as it opens the airway without extending the head. While cervical spine immobilization is crucial, using a 'head stabilizer to immobilize the body' is not the correct terminology or approach; immobilization focuses on the head and neck, not the entire body for airway access, and physical restraints are not the primary method for C-spine immobilization during airway management.

The following questions should be made during the Primary Assessment's Airway Assessment section:

Answer: both 1 and 2

During the Airway (A) component of the Primary Assessment, the rescuer assesses if the airway is open and clear (patent). Simultaneously, based on the patient's condition and the patency of the airway, a decision is made regarding the need for an advanced airway device. Checking for a pulse (C) is part of the Circulation assessment, not the Airway assessment.

The following tasks are completed during the (C) circulation phase of the Primary Assessment:

Answer: Get IV access, Connect ECG leads, check rhythm, administer drugs to control rhythm, and administer IV/IO fluids as necessary.

The Circulation (C) phase of the Primary Assessment in ACLS involves critical interventions to assess and support the patient's circulatory status. This includes establishing vascular access (IV/IO), monitoring cardiac rhythm with ECG, identifying and treating arrhythmias with appropriate medications, and managing fluid status. While pulse checks and CPR are part of initial BLS, the ACLS 'C' phase expands to these advanced interventions.