American Red Cross Basic Life Support
Questions and Answers | Latest Version
| 2025/2026 | Correct & Verified
What should you do if you encounter a person who is not breathing but has a pulse?
✔✔Provide rescue breaths at a rate of 1 breath every 5-6 seconds, ensuring the chest rises with
each breath.
What is the recommended depth for chest compressions on an adult?
✔✔Compress the chest at least 2 inches deep for an adult.
What is the first step in assessing a person’s condition when you find them unresponsive?
✔✔Shout at the person and tap them on the shoulder to check for responsiveness.
What should you do if a person is choking and unable to cough, speak, or breathe?
✔✔Perform the Heimlich maneuver by giving abdominal thrusts to expel the object blocking the
airway.
How should you provide chest compressions on a child?
1
,✔✔Use one or both hands depending on the child’s size and compress the chest to a depth of
about 1/3 the depth of the chest, approximately 2 inches.
What should you do if you are alone and find a child in need of CPR?
✔✔Perform 2 minutes of CPR before calling emergency services if you are alone with a child.
What is the correct ratio of chest compressions to rescue breaths for an infant?
✔✔The ratio is 30 chest compressions to 2 rescue breaths for an infant.
What should you do if the person is unresponsive and not breathing but you do not have an AED
available?
✔✔Immediately begin CPR, starting with chest compressions and then providing rescue breaths.
What should you do if you encounter a victim of a heart attack who is conscious and
complaining of chest pain?
✔✔Encourage the person to chew and swallow an aspirin if they are not allergic and are able to
do so, and call emergency services immediately.
How do you check for signs of life in an unresponsive person?
2
,✔✔Check for breathing by looking at the chest for rise and fall or by feeling for breaths on your
cheek.
What should you do if an AED advises a shock and the victim has a visible pulse?
✔✔If an AED advises a shock but the person has a pulse, do not shock them. Continue CPR and
reassess.
How do you perform CPR on an adult who is pregnant?
✔✔Perform CPR on a pregnant adult the same way as on any adult, but consider tilting the
woman to the left to relieve pressure on the heart.
What should you do if the person is unresponsive and breathing abnormally?
✔✔Place the person in the recovery position to keep the airway open and monitor their breathing
until help arrives.
When should you stop performing CPR?
✔✔Stop CPR if the person shows signs of life, such as breathing, or if professional help takes
over.
3
, What is the proper way to check for a pulse in an adult?
✔✔Feel for a pulse at the carotid artery in the neck using two fingers, checking for no more than
10 seconds.
What should you do if the victim is an infant and you cannot give rescue breaths due to an
obstruction?
✔✔Perform 30 chest compressions, check the airway, and clear any visible obstruction before
resuming CPR.
What is the first step in using an AED?
✔✔Turn on the AED and follow the prompts to attach the pads to the victim’s bare chest.
How should you perform rescue breaths for an adult?
✔✔Pinch the person’s nose shut, cover their mouth with yours, and give a breath that lasts about
1 second, ensuring the chest rises.
What should you do if the chest does not rise during a rescue breath?
✔✔Reposition the person’s head and try again to open the airway before giving another breath.
4
Questions and Answers | Latest Version
| 2025/2026 | Correct & Verified
What should you do if you encounter a person who is not breathing but has a pulse?
✔✔Provide rescue breaths at a rate of 1 breath every 5-6 seconds, ensuring the chest rises with
each breath.
What is the recommended depth for chest compressions on an adult?
✔✔Compress the chest at least 2 inches deep for an adult.
What is the first step in assessing a person’s condition when you find them unresponsive?
✔✔Shout at the person and tap them on the shoulder to check for responsiveness.
What should you do if a person is choking and unable to cough, speak, or breathe?
✔✔Perform the Heimlich maneuver by giving abdominal thrusts to expel the object blocking the
airway.
How should you provide chest compressions on a child?
1
,✔✔Use one or both hands depending on the child’s size and compress the chest to a depth of
about 1/3 the depth of the chest, approximately 2 inches.
What should you do if you are alone and find a child in need of CPR?
✔✔Perform 2 minutes of CPR before calling emergency services if you are alone with a child.
What is the correct ratio of chest compressions to rescue breaths for an infant?
✔✔The ratio is 30 chest compressions to 2 rescue breaths for an infant.
What should you do if the person is unresponsive and not breathing but you do not have an AED
available?
✔✔Immediately begin CPR, starting with chest compressions and then providing rescue breaths.
What should you do if you encounter a victim of a heart attack who is conscious and
complaining of chest pain?
✔✔Encourage the person to chew and swallow an aspirin if they are not allergic and are able to
do so, and call emergency services immediately.
How do you check for signs of life in an unresponsive person?
2
,✔✔Check for breathing by looking at the chest for rise and fall or by feeling for breaths on your
cheek.
What should you do if an AED advises a shock and the victim has a visible pulse?
✔✔If an AED advises a shock but the person has a pulse, do not shock them. Continue CPR and
reassess.
How do you perform CPR on an adult who is pregnant?
✔✔Perform CPR on a pregnant adult the same way as on any adult, but consider tilting the
woman to the left to relieve pressure on the heart.
What should you do if the person is unresponsive and breathing abnormally?
✔✔Place the person in the recovery position to keep the airway open and monitor their breathing
until help arrives.
When should you stop performing CPR?
✔✔Stop CPR if the person shows signs of life, such as breathing, or if professional help takes
over.
3
, What is the proper way to check for a pulse in an adult?
✔✔Feel for a pulse at the carotid artery in the neck using two fingers, checking for no more than
10 seconds.
What should you do if the victim is an infant and you cannot give rescue breaths due to an
obstruction?
✔✔Perform 30 chest compressions, check the airway, and clear any visible obstruction before
resuming CPR.
What is the first step in using an AED?
✔✔Turn on the AED and follow the prompts to attach the pads to the victim’s bare chest.
How should you perform rescue breaths for an adult?
✔✔Pinch the person’s nose shut, cover their mouth with yours, and give a breath that lasts about
1 second, ensuring the chest rises.
What should you do if the chest does not rise during a rescue breath?
✔✔Reposition the person’s head and try again to open the airway before giving another breath.
4
