SELF/Perioperative Nursing/Defibrillation with AED/Clinical Decision-Making Assessment

▼This page is a part of the Perioperative Nursing Curriculum by ECSACONM and SELFPlease see the Intuitive Foundation Terms of Use and do not edit without permission.

Use the quiz below to check your understanding of the material.

Instructions

Work through each question carefully to choose the best answer, and submit the quiz to view your results. After completing the quiz, read through the answer explanations to review the reasoning behind both correct and incorrect options.

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(Scenario 1 – 62-Year-Old Man with Sudden Collapse) You arrive to find a bystander performing CPR on a 62-year-old man who collapsed in the hospital parking lot. The patient is unresponsive, pulseless, and gasping. The AED analyzes the rhythm and advises a shock. What should the team do immediately after the shock is delivered?

	Resume CPR immediately while following the AED prompts
	Check for a pulse before restarting CPR
	Remove the AED pads and reassess the patient
	Wait for the AED to repeat rhythm analysis before restarting CPR

(Scenario 1 – 62-Year-Old Man with Sudden Collapse) During preparation for shock delivery, one rescuer continues touching the patient's shoulder while speaking to the team. What is the most appropriate action?

	Deliver the shock because only the shoulder is being touched
	Stop briefly, clearly announce "Clear," visually confirm everyone is clear, and then deliver the shock
	Disconnect the ECG monitor before proceeding
	Delay defibrillation until another team arrives

(Scenario 1 – 62-Year-Old Man with Sudden Collapse) After two cycles of CPR, the arterial line waveform returns and end-tidal CO₂ increases noticeably. What is the most appropriate interpretation?

	The AED pads should now be removed
	CPR should automatically stop because ROSC has occurred
	Another shock should be delivered immediately
	These findings may indicate ROSC and should be communicated immediately to the anesthesia provider for confirmation

(Scenario 2 – Young Woman with Heat-Related Collapse) A 24-year-old woman briefly loses consciousness after standing in the heat. She is now awake, breathing normally, and has a strong pulse. A colleague suggests applying the AED "just to be safe." What is the most appropriate response?

	Do not apply the AED because the patient is not in cardiac arrest; perform an appropriate assessment instead
	Apply the AED because every collapse should be evaluated with rhythm analysis
	Apply the pads but delay rhythm analysis
	Deliver one shock before beginning further assessment

(Scenario 2 – Young Woman with Heat-Related Collapse) After assessing the patient, which finding would most strongly suggest that her condition is not cardiac arrest?

	Warm skin following heat exposure
	A history of standing in the sun
	She is awake, breathing normally, and has a palpable pulse
	She appears anxious

(Scenario 3 – 71-Year-Old Woman with Uncertain Pulse) A 71-year-old woman is unresponsive and gasping. Her pulse is difficult to determine within 10 seconds. What is the most appropriate action?

	Continue checking for another 30 seconds to avoid unnecessary CPR
	Begin CPR immediately and apply the AED as soon as it is available
	Wait for an ECG before deciding whether to begin CPR
	Observe the patient for spontaneous improvement

(Scenario 3 – 71-Year-Old Woman with Uncertain Pulse) The AED announces "No Shock Advised." The patient remains unresponsive with no definite pulse. What should the team do next?

	Remove the AED and discontinue resuscitation
	Wait until the AED performs another rhythm analysis
	Repeat the pulse check every 30 seconds without CPR
	Resume CPR immediately while continuing to follow the AED prompts

(Scenario 4 – 9-Year-Old Boy with Sudden Collapse) A 9-year-old boy collapses while running. Pediatric AED pads are unavailable. What is the most appropriate action?

	Use the available adult pads, ensuring they do not overlap, and continue AED-guided care
	Delay defibrillation until pediatric pads arrive
	Use only one adult pad
	Perform CPR only because adult pads cannot be used in children

(Scenario 4 – 9-Year-Old Boy with Sudden Collapse) Before rhythm analysis begins, the child's chest is wet with perspiration. What is the best immediate action?

	Proceed with pad placement because moisture has little effect on AED performance
	Delay treatment until the child can be moved indoors
	Dry the chest quickly, apply the pads, and continue AED-guided resuscitation
	Place the pads over the wet skin and secure them with tape

(Scenario 5 – Motor Vehicle Collision) A 32-year-old motorcyclist is unconscious after a crash with severe bleeding from the thigh. He is breathing inadequately and has signs of hemorrhagic shock but is not in confirmed cardiac arrest. What is the highest priority?

	Apply the AED immediately
	Control the life-threatening hemorrhage, manage the airway and breathing, and prepare for rapid transport while continuing to reassess the patient's condition
	Delay treatment until cardiac monitoring is available
	Wait for the patient to lose a pulse before intervening

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Page data
Part of	Automated External Defibrillation - ECSACONM
Keywords	surgery, health
SDG	SDG03 Good health and well-being
Authors	Ian-laurel
License	CC-BY-SA-4.0
Organizations	ECSACONM, SELF
Language	English (en)
Related	0 subpages, 1 pages link here
Views	3 page views (analytics)
Created	July 30, 2026 by Ian-laurel-1
Last edit	July 30, 2026 by StandardWikitext bot
Cite as	Ian-laurel-1 (2026). "SELF/Perioperative Nursing/Defibrillation with AED/Clinical Decision-Making Assessment". Appropedia. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
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