Basic Life Support (BLS) Practice Exam

How long should you check for a pulse before concluding there is none?

1. 5 seconds

2. 10 seconds

3. 15 seconds

4. 20 seconds

The correct answer is: 10 seconds

When assessing for a pulse in a situation where a person may not be breathing or is in cardiac arrest, the recommended duration for checking for a pulse is up to 10 seconds. This time frame allows enough opportunity to determine whether a pulse is present, as it ensures that you are not rushing the assessment while still being timely to initiate necessary life-saving measures if a pulse is absent. Checking for a pulse for too short a time might lead to missed pulses due to variability in the heartbeat or factors such as patient movement. Conversely, checking for a pulse for longer than 10 seconds may delay critical interventions like cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Thus, the standard guideline emphasizes the 10-second duration to strike a balance between thoroughness and urgency in emergency scenarios.