Basic Life Support (BLS) Practice Exam 2026 - Free BLS Practice Questions and Study Guide

When delivering breaths to an infant in cardiac arrest, each ventilation should last for about 1 second. This timing is crucial as it allows for adequate inflation of the lungs without causing excessive pressure or discomfort. A duration of 1 second is sufficient for the air to be delivered effectively, ensuring that it travels to the lungs and promotes gas exchange.

Additionally, this 1-second interval aligns with the recommendations provided in BLS guidelines, ensuring that the breaths are controlled and timed appropriately. This helps in maintaining adequate ventilation while preventing the risk of overventilation, which can lead to complications such as gastric inflation or decreased effectiveness of subsequent compressions.

Having this proper timing for ventilations is essential in resuscitation efforts, particularly in infants, where the airway is smaller and the need for careful management of ventilation is heightened.