BLS Pulse Check: Where to Check, How Long, and What Comes Next

The simultaneous breathing and pulse check is one of the skills that separates the healthcare-provider BLS course from lay-rescuer CPR. It is also where people lose the most time.

Where to check

• Adult: carotid pulse in the neck.
• Child: carotid or femoral pulse.
• Infant: brachial pulse on the inside of the upper arm.

How long

No more than 10 seconds, looking at the chest for breathing while you feel for the pulse. Pulse checks are unreliable under stress; if you are not sure, treat it as no pulse and start compressions.

Gasping is not breathing

Occasional gasps, called agonal breathing, are common in the first minutes of cardiac arrest. They are not normal breathing. Treat gasping with no pulse as cardiac arrest.

What comes next

• No pulse, no normal breathing: start CPR and get the AED — see the BLS algorithm.
• Pulse, but no normal breathing: give rescue breaths (adult about one every 6 seconds; child and infant about one every 2 to 3 seconds) and recheck every 2 minutes.
• Pulse and normal breathing: monitor and wait for help.

For infants and children, a pulse below 60 a minute with signs of poor perfusion is treated with CPR — see BLS for infants and children.

This guide summarises what is taught on the course. The American Heart Association CPR and ECC Guidelines, linked below, are the authoritative source.

More BLS guides: BLS skills explained

• BLS Course in Abu Dhabi — dates, format and booking
• The BLS Algorithm Explained: Adult, Child and Infant Steps
• The Chain of Survival Explained: In and Out of Hospital
• CPR Compression Rate and Depth: What High-Quality BLS Means
• Infant and Child BLS: CPR Steps, Ratios and Techniques
• Two-Rescuer BLS: Roles, Ratios and Switching Compressors
• Bag-Mask Ventilation in BLS: Technique and Common Mistakes
• How to Use an AED in BLS: Steps and Special Situations
• Choking Relief in BLS: Adults, Children and Infants
• High-Performance Team Dynamics in BLS Resuscitation
• All BLS guides, by topic

Other life support and first aid courses: ACLS Course · PALS Course · First Aid Course · Training calendar

Frequently asked questions

How long should a BLS pulse check take?

At least 5 but no more than 10 seconds, checking breathing at the same time.

Where do you check an infant's pulse?

The brachial pulse on the inside of the upper arm.

What if I am not sure there is a pulse?

Start CPR.

Is gasping a sign of breathing?

No. Agonal gasping is not normal breathing and should be treated as cardiac arrest if there is no pulse.

Do lay rescuers check the pulse?

No, lay rescuers check for breathing only. The pulse check is part of healthcare-provider BLS.

Sources and further reading

What we teach follows the awarding body and the UAE health authorities. For the definitive position on a course or licensing question, these are the places to check.

• CPR and ECC Guidelines — American Heart Association
• Basic Life Support (BLS) training — American Heart Association

Last reviewed 21 September 2026 by the training team at Safety First Medical Services, an American Heart Association training centre at Addax Office Tower, Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi. Call +971 55 761 9841 or email training@safetyfirstmed.ae.