Basic Life Support (BLS) Practice Exam

What action should be taken immediately after ensuring the airway is open?

1. Check for responsiveness

2. Check for bleeding

3. Simultaneously check for breathing and pulse

4. Start CPR

The correct answer is: Simultaneously check for breathing and pulse

After ensuring that the airway is open, the immediate action to take is to check for breathing and pulse. This step is crucial because it allows the responder to assess whether the individual is breathing normally and if there is a pulse present, which indicates blood circulation. Checking for breathing involves looking for chest rise, listening for breath sounds, and feeling for air movement from the mouth or nose. Simultaneously checking for a pulse—typically at the carotid artery for adults—confirms whether the heart is still beating. Together, these assessments help determine whether immediate resuscitation efforts, such as CPR, are necessary. If the person is not breathing or does not have a pulse, the next steps would include starting CPR. Conducting both checks ensures that the response is tailored to the individual's condition, enhancing the chances of survival in an emergency situation.