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ACLS recertification practice quiz

15 quick questions. Instant feedback. Practice only — not a certified course and not CE credit.

This attempt asks 10 of the 15 questions listed below.

15 practice questions

All 15 questions in this bank are on the page. Each attempt draws 10 at random and shows the explanation after you answer.

  1. Rhythms

    Which rhythms are shockable in cardiac arrest?

    • Asystole and PEA
    • VF and pulseless VT
    • Sinus tach and afib
    • Bradycardia and heart block

  2. Rhythms

    First-line drug for VF/pulseless VT after 2 shocks and CPR?

    • Amiodarone 300 mg IV/IO
    • Epinephrine 1 mg IV/IO
    • Lidocaine 100 mg
    • Atropine 1 mg

  3. Rhythms

    Amiodarone dose for refractory VF/pulseless VT?

    • 150 mg initial, 75 mg repeat
    • 300 mg initial, 150 mg repeat
    • 500 mg initial
    • 1 mg/kg once

  4. Bradycardia

    First-line drug for symptomatic bradycardia with a pulse?

    • Atropine 1 mg IV, repeat q3–5 min to 3 mg total
    • Epinephrine 1 mg
    • Adenosine 6 mg
    • Amiodarone 150 mg

  5. Tachycardia

    Stable regular narrow-complex tachycardia unresponsive to vagal maneuvers. Next step?

    • Amiodarone 150 mg
    • Adenosine 6 mg rapid IV push, then 12 mg if needed
    • Cardioversion 100 J
    • Lidocaine

  6. Tachycardia

    Unstable tachycardia with a pulse and serious signs/symptoms. Treatment?

    • Adenosine only
    • Synchronized cardioversion
    • Amiodarone 300 mg
    • Observation

  7. Post-arrest

    Recommended target for oxygenation in post-cardiac-arrest care?

    • SpO2 100%
    • SpO2 94–99%
    • SpO2 88–92%
    • PaO2 500

  8. Post-arrest

    Targeted temperature management (TTM) target range after ROSC in a comatose adult?

    • 32–36°C for at least 24 hours
    • 28–30°C for 12 hours
    • 36–38°C only
    • Warming as fast as possible

  9. Airway

    After advanced airway placement during CPR, ventilate at…

    • 1 breath every 2–3 seconds while doing continuous compressions
    • 1 breath every 6 seconds while doing continuous compressions
    • 10 breaths per second
    • 30:2 with pauses

  10. Airway

    Which end-tidal CO2 value during CPR suggests poor-quality compressions or need for a strategy change?

    • ETCO2 <10 mmHg persistently
    • ETCO2 >40 mmHg
    • ETCO2 25 mmHg
    • Any positive value

  11. Reversible causes

    The 'H's and T's' are…

    • Historical trivia
    • Reversible causes of cardiac arrest to consider during ACLS
    • Types of AHA courses
    • Airway maneuvers

  12. Stroke

    Time-critical target from ED arrival to CT for suspected acute stroke?

    • 30 min
    • 20 min
    • 45 min
    • 60 min

  13. ACS

    For a patient with STEMI, target door-to-balloon time for primary PCI?

    • 30 minutes
    • 60 minutes
    • 90 minutes
    • 120 minutes

  14. Rhythms

    Epinephrine timing in a shockable arrest rhythm?

    • Give epi immediately, before defibrillation
    • After the second defibrillation attempt
    • Only if ROSC is achieved
    • Every 30 seconds

  15. Rhythms

    Epinephrine timing in a non-shockable arrest rhythm (asystole/PEA)?

    • After the first shock
    • As soon as possible; every 3–5 min
    • Only after 20 minutes of CPR
    • Not indicated

Before you take this quiz

ACLS recertification runs on a two-year cycle. Providers whose card is nearing its expiration date typically complete an AHA ACLS Renewal course if they recertify before the card lapses, or a full ACLS Provider course if it has already expired. Either path includes a hands-on component: a proctored megacode where you lead a simulated cardiac arrest or peri-arrest scenario, call out interventions in the correct order, and demonstrate team dynamics along with your written or online exam.

This quiz is built to prepare you for the knowledge side of that recertification, not to replace it. The question bank covers rhythm recognition (identifying VF, pulseless VT, asystole, PEA, and unstable bradycardia or tachycardia on a strip), the core ACLS algorithms (the cardiac arrest algorithm, tachycardia and bradycardia algorithms, and the post-cardiac-arrest care algorithm), drug dosing during a code (epinephrine, amiodarone, lidocaine, and adenosine timing and dosages), and post-arrest care, including targeted temperature management and hemodynamic goals after return of spontaneous circulation. Every question shows an explanation and a source — an AHA algorithm name — as soon as you answer, so you can see why an answer is right instead of just whether you got it right.

The most useful way to use this quiz is in the days before your megacode, not the night before. Take it once cold to see which topics are weak, review the source material for anything you missed, then retake it two or three days later with a fresh set of questions to confirm it stuck. Because each attempt samples 10 questions from a larger bank, retaking it does not mean seeing the same items twice. Treat a strong score here as confirmation you're ready to focus your remaining prep time on the hands-on megacode skills check itself — team communication, drug timing, and the physical steps of a code — rather than the algorithms on paper.

As with every quiz on Trust, this is practice only. It is not an accredited course, does not carry continuing education credit, and Trust is not affiliated with the American Heart Association. Completing an AHA ACLS Provider or Renewal course, including its hands-on skills check, is still required to recertify.

FAQ

How often do I need to recertify in ACLS?

Every two years. Renew before your card expires with an AHA ACLS Renewal course, or take a full ACLS Provider course if your card has already lapsed.

Does this quiz replace the megacode skills check?

No. This quiz covers the knowledge side — rhythms, algorithms, and drug dosing. Recertification still requires a hands-on, proctored megacode where you demonstrate leading a simulated arrest, which this quiz cannot substitute for.

What does the ACLS practice quiz actually cover?

Rhythm recognition, the cardiac arrest and tachycardia/bradycardia algorithms, arrest drug doses and timing, and post-cardiac-arrest care, including targeted temperature management.

When should I take this quiz before my recert course?

A few days out works best. Take it once to find weak topics, review the source material, then retake it with a fresh question set closer to your megacode to confirm the gaps are closed.

About the ACLS Recert Readiness practice quiz

This is a free, 10-question practice quiz for RN, EMT-P, physicians preparing to recertify. Questions are drawn at random from a bank of 15 original items written from AHA 2020/2025 ACLS guidelines (public summary materials). You get an explanation and a cited source after every answer, plus a topic-by-topic breakdown at the end. It takes about five minutes and needs no account. Practice only — not a certified course and not CE credit.

Topics covered

  • Rhythms
  • Bradycardia
  • Tachycardia
  • Post-arrest
  • Airway
  • Reversible causes
  • Stroke
  • ACS

Want a shorter daily habit? Play Rounds, one clinical scenario a day. Or browse every practice quiz.

Last verified: 2026-07.