Basic Life Support
(B.L.S)
Here are 40 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) on Basic Life Support
(BLS):
1. What is the first step in assessing a patient in need of Basic Life
Support (BLS)?
a) Begin chest compressions
b) Check for breathing and pulse
c) Call for help
d) Give rescue breaths
2. How often should you deliver rescue breaths in an adult patient
during CPR?
a) Every 5 seconds
b) Every 6 seconds
c) Every 8 seconds
d) Every 10 seconds
3. What is the correct compression-to-ventilation ratio for one-
rescuer adult CPR?
a) 15:2
b) 30:2
c) 20:2
d) 10:2
4. When performing chest compressions on an adult, how deep
should the compressions be?
a) At least 1 inch
b) At least 2 inches
c) At least 3 inches
d) At least 4 inches
5. At what rate should chest compressions be delivered during CPR?
a) 80-100 per minute
b) 100-120 per minute
c) 120-140 per minute
d) 140-160 per minute
6. What is the first action you should take when you see someone
collapse?
a) Start chest compressions
b) Call 911 or the local emergency number
c) Check for responsiveness
d) Give rescue breaths
7. What does AED stand for?
a) Automated External Device
b) Automatic External Defibrillator
c) Automated External Defibrillator
d) Automatic Electric Device
8. When should you use an AED?
a) When the patient is conscious and breathing
b) When the patient has a pulse
c) When the patient is unconscious and not breathing normally
d) When the patient has irregular breathing
9. How many cycles of CPR should be performed in 2 minutes?
a) 2 cycles
b) 5 cycles
c) 10 cycles
d) 15 cycles
10. What is the correct hand placement for chest compressions on
an adult?
a) Lower half of the breastbone
b) Upper half of the breastbone
c) Middle of the abdomen
d) Side of the chest
11. When performing CPR on a child, how deep should chest
compressions be?
a) About 1 inch
b) About 1.5 inches
c) About 2 inches
d) About 2.5 inches
12. What should you do if an adult choking victim becomes
unresponsive?
a) Perform abdominal thrusts
b) Start CPR, beginning with chest compressions
c) Give rescue breaths only
d) Check for a pulse
13. What is the compression-to-ventilation ratio for two-rescuer
child CPR?
a) 15:2
b) 30:2
c) 20:2
d) 10:2
14. How should you open the airway of an unconscious victim?
a) Jaw thrust maneuver
b) Head tilt-chin lift maneuver
c) Head tilt-neck lift maneuver
d) Chin thrust maneuver
15. For how long should you check for a pulse before starting CPR?
a) No more than 5 seconds
b) No more than 10 seconds
c) No more than 15 seconds
d) No more than 20 seconds
16. Where should AED pads be placed on an adult victim?
a) Both on the right side of the chest
b) One pad on the upper right chest and one on the lower left side
c) Both on the left side of the chest
d) One pad on the upper left chest and one on the lower right side
17. Which of the following is a sign that an infant is responsive?
a) Crying
b) No movement
c) Irregular breathing
d) No pulse
18. How should you deliver breaths using a bag-mask device?
a) Squeeze the bag once every 3 seconds
b) Squeeze the bag once every 5 seconds
c) Squeeze the bag once every 6 seconds
d) Squeeze the bag once every 10 seconds
19. When should you start CPR in a patient with a suspected
cervical spine injury?
a) Immediately
b) After confirming the absence of a pulse
c) After stabilizing the neck
d) After giving rescue breaths
20. How many hands should be used for chest compressions on an
infant during two-rescuer CPR?
a) One hand
b) Two hands
c) Two fingers
d) One finger
21. Which of the following is a critical component of high-quality
CPR?
a) Fast compressions
b) Shallow compressions
c) Allowing full chest recoil
d) Interrupting compressions frequently
22. What should you do if the AED prompts "no shock advised"?
a) Resume chest compressions immediately
b) Check for a pulse
c) Reposition the pads
d) Wait for further instructions
23. When performing CPR on a pregnant woman, what
modification should you make?
a) Place her on her back
b) Perform compressions only
c) Displace the uterus to the left
d) Use one hand for compressions
24. What is the primary purpose of defibrillation?
a) To restart the heart
b) To correct an abnormal heart rhythm
c) To improve blood circulation
d) To provide rescue breaths
25. When is it appropriate to stop CPR?
a) When the victim starts to breathe on their own
b) When professional help arrives and takes over
c) When you are too exhausted to continue
d) All of the above
26. What is the recommended action if a choking adult can still
cough forcefully?
a) Perform abdominal thrusts
b) Slap them on the back
c) Encourage them to keep coughing
d) Give rescue breaths
27. During adult CPR, how often should rescuers switch roles to
avoid fatigue?
a) Every 1 minute
b) Every 2 minutes
c) Every 5 minutes
d) Every 10 minutes
28. How do you check for responsiveness in an infant?
a) Shake the infant gently
b) Slap the infant's back
c) Tap the infant's foot
d) Pinch the infant's arm
29. What is the first thing you should do if you find an unresponsive
infant?
a) Call for help
b) Check for breathing and pulse
c) Start chest compressions
d) Give rescue breaths
30. How deep should chest compressions be for an infant during
CPR?
a) About 1 inch
b) About 1.5 inches
c) About 2 inches
d) About 2.5 inches
31. Which is a sign of effective rescue breathing?
a) The chest rises visibly
b) The abdomen inflates
c) The victim's color improves immediately
d) The victim starts to move
32. How can you minimize interruptions in chest compressions
during CPR?
a) Only stop for AED analysis and shock
b) Alternate compressors every 30 seconds
c) Give breaths without pausing compressions
d) Never stop for breaths
33. What is a common cause of airway obstruction in an
unconscious patient?
a) Food
b) Dentures
c) The tongue
d) Foreign objects
34. How should you position a patient in recovery position?
a) Flat on their back
b) On their stomach
c) On their side
d) Sitting upright
35. What is the recommended action if a choking infant becomes
unresponsive?
a) Perform abdominal thrusts
b) Start chest compressions
c) Give back blows and chest thrusts
d) Give rescue breaths only
36. What should you do if you are alone with an unresponsive child
and no phone?
a) Leave the child to call 911 immediately
b) Perform CPR for 2 minutes before leaving to call 911
c) Give rescue breaths only
d) Perform abdominal thrusts
37. In two-rescuer CPR for an infant, what is the compression-to-
ventilation ratio?
a) 15:2
b) 30:2
c) 20:2
d) 10:2
38. What is the correct technique for delivering breaths in mouth-to-
mouth resuscitation?
a) Blow as hard as you can
b) Blow until the chest rises
c) Blow for 5 seconds each time
d) Blow rapidly and shallowly
39. Which pulse is checked in an unresponsive infant?
a) Radial pulse
b) Carotid pulse
c) Brachial pulse
d) Femoral pulse
40. What is the first action to take with an AED once it arrives?
a) Turn it on
b) Attach the pads to the patient
c) Analyze the rhythm
d) Deliver a shock
KEYS
1. C
2. B
3. B
4. B
5. B
6. C
7. C
8. C
9. B
10. A
11. C
12. B
13. A
14. B
15. B
16. B
17. A
18. C
19. A
20. C
21. C
22. A
23. C
24. B
25. D
26. C
27. B
28. C
29. B
30. B
31. A
32. A
33. C
34. C
35. B
36. B
37. A
38. B
39. C
40. A
