First Aid and CPR Quiz Test Your Emergency Skills

8 – 18 Questions 7 min
This quiz focuses on first aid priorities and bystander CPR actions that keep oxygenated blood moving until EMS arrives. Expect scenarios on scene safety, responsiveness checks, AED use, choking, bleeding control, and recovery position decisions. Use it to spot gaps in technique, timing, and decision order before an emergency forces fast choices.
Start Quiz
1Before you start first aid, you should quickly check that the scene is safe for you to enter.

True / False

2During adult CPR, about how fast should you deliver chest compressions?
3When checking an unresponsive adult, you should spend at least 30 seconds looking for a pulse before starting CPR.

True / False

4An AED delivers a shock and says to begin CPR. What should you do next?
5You find someone collapsed next to a spill of strong-smelling chemicals, and your eyes and throat start burning. What should you do first?
6If a bandage is soaked with blood, you should remove it to look at the wound before adding another layer.

True / False

7A person with diabetes is awake, sweaty, and shaky, and says they feel "low." If they can swallow safely, what is the best immediate action?
8An AED says "no shock advised," but the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally. What should you do?
9For a choking infant under 1 year old, abdominal thrusts are recommended as the first technique.

True / False

10Two trained rescuers are doing adult CPR. To keep compressions high-quality, about how often should they switch who is doing compressions?
11In a hot warehouse, a worker is confused, has very hot skin, and is stumbling. What should you do?
12A fingertip is severed in a kitchen accident and there is heavy bleeding. Which option best matches recommended first aid?
13You are placing AED pads and notice a firm bulge under the skin below the person’s collarbone, likely a pacemaker or ICD. What should you do?

First Aid + CPR: High-Impact Errors That Derail Real Emergencies

Most wrong answers on first aid and CPR quizzes come from doing the right skill at the wrong time, or applying a correct rule to the wrong patient. Use these frequent errors as a checklist for tightening your response sequence.

Assessment and activation errors

  • Skipping scene safety. Fix: pause for traffic, electricity, fire, weapons, or bodily fluids, then move yourself and the victim only if the scene is unsafe.
  • Delaying 911 and AED retrieval. Fix: activate EMS early and send a specific person to get an AED. If you are alone, follow dispatcher instructions and local training for when to leave the victim to call.
  • Overchecking for a pulse. Fix: for most lay responders, focus on unresponsiveness and not breathing normally. If in doubt, start compressions and use an AED as soon as available.

CPR technique errors

  • Shallow or inconsistent compressions. Fix: press hard and fast in the center of the chest, allow full recoil, and keep hands in place to reduce wasted motion.
  • Long pauses for breaths, checks, or pad placement. Fix: minimize interruptions. Resume compressions immediately after a shock, or immediately if the AED says “no shock.”
  • Leaning on the chest. Fix: lift pressure fully between compressions so the heart can refill.
  • Overventilating. Fix: if giving breaths, deliver just enough to make the chest rise. Too much air and too much force raise aspiration risk and reduce venous return.

First aid scenario traps

  • Choking confusion. Fix: if the person can cough or speak, encourage coughing. Use choking interventions only for severe choking with poor or no air movement. Infant choking care uses back slaps and chest thrusts, not abdominal thrusts.
  • Bleeding control missteps. Fix: use firm direct pressure and add more dressings on top if soaked. For life-threatening bleeding, pack the wound when appropriate and use a tourniquet if trained and bleeding will not stop.
  • Ignoring shock and temperature. Fix: after controlling a major bleed, keep the person flat if tolerated, warm, and reassess breathing and responsiveness until EMS arrives.
  • Wrong position for an unresponsive breather. Fix: if unresponsive but breathing normally, place in a recovery position when no spinal injury is suspected and you can monitor airway.

Authoritative First Aid and CPR References for Skill Refreshers

Use these sources to confirm current recommendations, review skill steps, and find structured training options.

First Aid and CPR Quiz FAQ: CPR Decisions, AED Use, and High-Yield Scenarios

What is the correct order when you find an adult collapsed?

Start with scene safety, then check responsiveness (tap and shout). If unresponsive, call 911 or direct someone to call, and send someone to get an AED. Check breathing for a few seconds. If they are not breathing normally, start chest compressions and use the AED as soon as it arrives.

What counts as “not breathing normally” for CPR decisions?

Gasping, snorting, or irregular breaths can be agonal respirations and can happen in cardiac arrest. Treat gasping as “not normal breathing.” If the person is unresponsive and breathing is absent or abnormal, begin CPR and apply an AED.

When should I use the recovery position instead of CPR?

Use the recovery position for a person who is unresponsive but breathing normally, especially if you suspect vomiting or you cannot maintain an open airway while they are flat. Keep monitoring breathing. If breathing becomes abnormal or stops, roll them onto their back and begin CPR.

Where do AED pads go, and what should I fix before sticking them on?

Standard adult pad placement is one pad on the upper right chest and the other on the left side below the armpit. If the chest is wet, wipe it quickly. If there is heavy chest hair and pads will not stick, use a razor if available or apply a pad firmly and pull it off to remove hair, then place a new pad. Remove medication patches from the pad area and wipe the skin before applying the pad.

What should I do if someone is choking but can still cough or talk?

That is mild airway obstruction. Encourage coughing and stay close. Do not do abdominal thrusts or back blows unless it becomes severe choking. Severe choking looks like inability to speak, ineffective cough, or silent attempts to breathe. Then provide the trained choking sequence and call 911 if it does not resolve quickly.

How do first aid priorities change for suspected low blood sugar in someone with diabetes?

If the person is awake and can swallow, give fast-acting carbohydrates and recheck symptoms. If they are confused, worsening, or you are unsure of the cause, call 911. Never give food or drink to an unconscious person. Diabetes emergencies show up often in first aid scenarios, including seizures and altered mental status. Test Type 1 vs Type 2 Diabetes Knowledge.

How can panic and bystander stress change CPR performance, and what helps?

Stress can cause skipped steps, long pauses, and poor compression quality. Use a short verbal script, “Call 911, get the AED, I’m starting compressions,” and assign tasks to specific people. If you freeze after the first shock or prompt, follow the AED voice instructions and dispatcher coaching. Psychological readiness matters for emergency response. Check Your Mental Health Awareness Knowledge.

Looking for more? Browse more Healthcare & Medical quizzes on QuizWiz or explore the full QuizWiz workplace quiz library.