Basic Life Support (BLS) Practice Exam

While checking for breathing in an unresponsive adult, which of the following actions is appropriate?

1. Listening for heartbeats

2. Looking for chest rise and fall

3. Palpating the abdomen

4. Calculating breathing rate

The correct answer is: Looking for chest rise and fall

When assessing an unresponsive adult for breathing, looking for chest rise and fall is the appropriate action. This method provides a clear visual indication of whether the person is breathing adequately. Observing the chest for rise and fall allows you to quickly determine if the airway is open and if the lungs are functioning. It is a non-invasive and immediate way to assess the patient's respiratory status. Other actions, such as listening for heartbeats, are not relevant in assessing breathing specifically and focus instead on circulatory status. Palpating the abdomen does not contribute useful information about respiration and could distract from quickly determining the need for intervention. Calculating the breathing rate is important in a comprehensive assessment but is not practical in the initial seconds of checking an unresponsive individual. Therefore, observing the chest rise and fall is the most effective way in this critical situation.