Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Establishing IV access as soon as possible, but after ensuring airway management, is crucial in the Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) protocol. In an emergency situation, the priority is to ensure that the patient has a patent airway and is receiving adequate ventilation. This means that airway management takes precedence because it is vital for oxygenation and preventing further deterioration of the patient's condition.

Once the airway is secured, obtaining IV access becomes critical, as timely medication administration can significantly influence the outcome of cardiac arrest scenarios. Medications like epinephrine and amiodarone are often administered via IV during resuscitation efforts. The sooner these medications can be given, the better the chances of restoring effective circulation and improving the patient's chances of survival.

In scenarios where the patient is unconscious or in cardiac arrest, while initiating CPR and advanced airway management, establishing IV access is part of the critical interventions that healthcare providers should perform. It is not dependent solely on the patient's level of consciousness or the number of CPR cycles completed, but rather is a fundamental step in the early management of cardiac emergencies.