For how long should you scan for breathing when performing CPR?

When performing CPR, it is vital to determine if the person is breathing before initiating rescue breaths. The recommended duration for scanning for breathing is 5-10 seconds. This time frame allows responders to closely observe for any signs of normal breathing without overextending the time without compressions.

During this brief assessment, the focus is to identify if the individual is taking any normal breaths, distinguishable from gasping or abnormal patterns, which can occur in a victim who is unresponsive due to cardiac arrest. If normal breathing is not detected within this timeframe, it signals the need to begin CPR.

Scanning for breathing for too short a time, such as just 1-2 seconds, may lead to incorrect assessments, while scanning for excessively long, like 1-2 minutes, would be impractical and detrimental, as it delays critical interventions that could save a life. Thus, adhering to the 5-10 second duration ensures timeliness and effectiveness in the emergency response.