Written Lifeguarding Practice Test

When checking for breathing in an unconscious adult, you should:

1. Look, listen, and feel for breathing for at least 5 seconds but no more than 10 seconds

2. Check for breath sounds with a stethoscope

3. Feel for air flow on your cheek for at least 15 seconds

4. Place your ear to their chest and listen for a heartbeat

The correct answer is: Look, listen, and feel for breathing for at least 5 seconds but no more than 10 seconds

When checking for breathing in an unconscious adult, it is important to quickly assess if the person is still breathing. Option A is the correct answer because it recommends using the most accurate and efficient method of checking for breathing, which is to look, listen, and feel for breathing for at least 5 seconds but no more than 10 seconds. This allows for a quick assessment without wasting precious time in an emergency situation. Option B is incorrect because using a stethoscope is not as rapid, and may not be readily available. Option C is incorrect because feeling for air flow on the cheek may not be a reliable method and it also takes longer than option A. Option D is incorrect because listening for a heartbeat does not indicate if the person is breathing or not.