An infant 7 months old developed cardiac arrest. You and your colleagues performing CPR. What should be the compression to ventilation ratio maintained?

1. A

   30:2

2. B

   15:1

3. C

   30:1

4. D

   15:2

Appeared in: RML Lucknow - 2021

Explanation

• The correct compression-to-ventilation ratio for a 7-month-old infant with two or more rescuers is 15:2.
• The question's phrasing, "You and your colleagues," signifies a multi-rescuer (two-rescuer) scenario.
• This 15:2 ratio is recommended for infants and children during two-rescuer CPR to provide more frequent ventilations.
• More frequent breathing is critical in pediatrics because cardiac arrests in this population are often caused by respiratory failure and hypoxia, unlike the primarily cardiac origin in adults.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option A: The 30:2 ratio is incorrect for a two-rescuer infant CPR scenario.
• Option B: A 15:1 ratio is not a standard recommended compression-to-ventilation ratio in any current BLS guidelines.
• Option C: A 30:1 ratio is not a standard recommended ratio for this scenario.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Pediatric Basic Life Support (BLS) guidelines for two-rescuer infant CPR as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
• Knowing the correct CPR ratio based on the patient's age and number of rescuers is a fundamental, life-saving skill for all healthcare providers.
• In pediatric arrests, prioritizing ventilation with a 15:2 ratio (for two rescuers) addresses the common underlying cause of hypoxia and improves the chances of a positive outcome.
• High-quality CPR involves not just the correct ratio but also ensuring a compression rate of 100-120/min, adequate depth, full chest recoil, and minimizing interruptions.

How to Approach the Question

• First, identify the patient's age group from the stem. The patient is a '7 months old infant'.
• Next, determine the number of rescuers involved. The phrase 'You and your colleagues' clearly indicates two or more rescuers are present.
• Recall the specific Basic Life Support (BLS) algorithm for a pediatric patient with two rescuers.
• The guideline specifies a compression-to-ventilation ratio of 15 compressions to 2 breaths for infants and children when two rescuers are performing CPR.
• Finally, compare this recalled guideline to the given options and select the one that matches (15:2).

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: Pediatric Basic Life Support (BLS) guidelines for two-rescuer infant CPR.
• Stem keywords: infant, 7 months old, cardiac arrest, CPR, compression to ventilation ratio, colleagues
• Lead-in keywords: What should be
• Clinical cues: Patient age (infant) and number of rescuers (more than one) are the key details to determine the correct CPR ratio.

Question ID

Q3PChuoFP855eFGbFwOknN

Copy ID

Reference Book

E6 Ghai Essential Pediatrics(pp 26-904 of 913) p. 763-765

E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 1 p. 609-611