For how many seconds should you check for breathing during assessment?

For how many seconds should you check for breathing during assessment?

• A. 10 seconds
• B. 5 seconds
• C. 15 seconds
• D. 20 seconds

Answer: (A)

Checking for breathing should be done quickly to decide whether life-saving actions are needed without wasting time. The recommended duration is about ten seconds. This window is long enough to notice chest rise, listen for breaths, and feel for air, but short enough to avoid delaying CPR if the person isn’t breathing normally. If you detect normal breathing, you can continue monitoring; if there’s no regular breathing (or only gasping), start CPR immediately.

Checking for breathing should be done quickly to decide whether life-saving actions are needed without wasting time. The recommended duration is about ten seconds. This window is long enough to notice chest rise, listen for breaths, and feel for air, but short enough to avoid delaying CPR if the person isn’t breathing normally. If you detect normal breathing, you can continue monitoring; if there’s no regular breathing (or only gasping), start CPR immediately.