Board of Legal SpecializationPractice Exam

What should you do if an adult patient's pulse becomes absent after delivering ventilations for two minutes?

1. Start CPR immediately and use an AED when available

2. Continue delivering ventilations for another two minutes

3. Check the airway again before starting CPR

4. Call for additional medical assistance

The correct answer is: Start CPR immediately and use an AED when available

When an adult patient's pulse is absent after delivering ventilations for two minutes, the most appropriate action is to start CPR immediately and use an AED when it becomes available. This is critical because the absence of a pulse indicates that the heart is not effectively pumping blood, which can lead to irreversible brain damage or death if not addressed quickly. Initiating CPR serves two main purposes: it helps maintain blood flow to vital organs and provides oxygenation until advanced medical care can take over. The integration of the AED is also crucial, as it can assess the patient's heart rhythm and provide defibrillation if indicated, significantly improving the chances of survival in cases of cardiac arrest. The other choices would delay necessary life-saving measures. Continuing to deliver ventilations for another two minutes would not rectify the absence of a pulse and may waste precious time that could be used to initiate CPR. Checking the airway again before starting CPR can lead to delays that might reduce the patient's chance of survival, as prompt CPR is essential. Calling for additional medical assistance, while important, should not come at the cost of immediately beginning CPR, since the patient requires immediate intervention to respond to the absence of a pulse.