Ace the Basic Life Support (BLS) Challenge 2025 – Breathe Life into Your Skills!

During CPR, the primary objective during the initial assessment is to determine the patient's responsiveness and the presence of breathing and circulation. This assessment is crucial for deciding the appropriate steps to take, whether to initiate CPR or to call for emergency assistance.

Checking for breathing is essential; it helps to establish if the victim is in need of rescue breaths or chest compressions. Assessing the level of responsiveness ensures that an effective assessment of consciousness is made, which forms the basis for further action. Additionally, checking for life-threatening bleeding is critical, as significant external bleeding can lead to shock and is a life-threatening condition that must be addressed immediately.

Taking blood pressure is not part of the initial assessment in CPR. While it can be an essential part of a broader medical assessment, it is not a priority during the urgent scenario of performing CPR. The focus during CPR is on the immediate life-threatening issues rather than on more detailed measurements like blood pressure.