Basic Life Support Checklist -PDF Download Available

A Basic Life Support (BLS) checklist is an important tool for healthcare workers, emergency responders, and even everyday people to make sure they do the right things when trying to save someone’s life.

This simple guide explains what a BLS checklist includes and why it’s important in emergency situations.

📌Related Post: Understanding the Aims of First Aid.

Free Basic Life Support Checklist download with score sheet

Note: Use the scoresheet to assess your performance after each activity.

Contents of a BLS Checklist

A typical Basic life support checklist includes these key steps:

1. Scene Safety Assessment

  • Look for dangers (e.g., electrical risks, chemical spills, unstable objects).
  • Use personal protective equipment (PPE) if available and needed.
  • Count how many people need help.

2. Check for Responsiveness

  • Gently tap the person’s shoulders.
  • Ask loudly, “Are you okay?”
  • See if the person responds or not.

3. Activate Emergency Response System

  • Call for help or activate the emergency system.
  • Ask for an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) if it’s available.

4. Check for Breathing and Pulse

  • Open the airway by tilting the head and lifting the chin.
  • Look for the chest moving up and down.
  • Listen for breathing sounds.
  • Feel for air from the person’s nose or mouth.
  • Check for a pulse (neck pulse for adults and children, arm pulse for babies).
  • See if the person is breathing normally or not.

5. Start High-Quality CPR

  • Place your hands on the lower part of the chest.
  • Push down at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute.
  • Press the chest down 5-6 cm (2-2.4 inches) for adults.
  • Let the chest rise completely between compressions.
  • Keep interruptions to a minimum.

6. Give Rescue Breaths

  • After 30 chest compressions, give 2 rescue breaths.
  • Each breath should last 1 second and should make the chest rise.
  • Go back to chest compressions immediately after the second breath.

7. Use of AED (if available)

  • Turn on the AED and follow its instructions.
  • Place the AED pads on the person’s bare chest.
  • Make sure no one is touching the person while the AED checks.
  • Give a shock if the AED tells you to.
  • Continue CPR after the shock or if no shock is advised.

8. Continue CPR and AED Use

  • Do CPR in cycles: 30 compressions, 2 breaths.
  • Change people performing chest compressions every 2 minutes.
  • Keep going until professional help arrives or the person starts breathing.

9. Recovery Position

  • If the person starts breathing normally, put them in the recovery position.
  • Keep watching their breathing and be ready to start CPR again if needed.

10. Post-Resuscitation Care

  • Look after the person and keep an eye on their condition until emergency services arrive.
  • Be ready to give helpful details to medical staff.

📌Relevant Course: Basic Life Support Training.



cpr demonstration using manikin

Purpose of a BLS Checklist

The BLS checklist is important for many reasons in emergency situations:

  • Standardisation of Care: It helps make sure that all rescuers follow the same steps, no matter how trained they are. This consistency improves the chances of saving lives during a cardiac arrest.
  • Memory Aid: In stressful situations, it’s easy to forget key steps. The checklist serves as a reminder, making it easier for rescuers to follow the right order of actions.
  • Quality Assurance: By following the checklist, rescuers can be sure they are giving high-quality CPR and following the latest guidelines. This is important as guidelines change over time with new research.
  • Training Tool: The checklist is useful for both new learners and experienced people. It helps practise and remember the right actions during BLS training.
  • Performance Evaluation: Teachers and examiners can use the checklist to see if rescuers are doing all the important steps correctly during training or when renewing their certification.
  • Legal Protection: In some places, using a recognised BLS checklist can protect rescuers legally. It shows that they followed the proper steps in their care.
  • Better Patient Outcomes: By ensuring each step is done correctly, the checklist can help improve survival rates and recovery for people who have a cardiac arrest.
  • Confidence Booster: For people who don’t do CPR often, the checklist can make them feel more confident when helping in an emergency.
  • Adaptability: While BLS principles stay the same, checklists can be adjusted to fit different places (like hospitals or outside) or patient needs (like adults or children).
  • Works with Advanced Life Support: The checklist works alongside more advanced life-saving measures. It helps when extra support is needed as it smoothly transitions into more advanced treatments.


emergency first responders

Implementing BLS Checklists Effectively

To get the most out of BLS checklists, organisations and training programs should keep the following in mind:

  • Regular Updates: Make sure the checklists are updated often to follow the newest guidelines from trusted sources like the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) or local resuscitation councils.
  • Accessibility: Ensure that checklists are easy to get, in different forms like pocket cards, posters, or apps. This helps meet different needs and situations.
  • Training Integration: Include the use of checklists in BLS training programs and highlight their importance and how to use them properly.
  • Simulation Practice: Practice with checklists during training exercises to help people get comfortable using them in real-life situations.
  • Feedback Mechanisms: Set up ways for people to share their thoughts on how useful and easy the checklists are. This helps improve them over time.
  • Cultural Adaptation: Adapt the checklists to fit different cultures and languages to make sure they are effective for everyone.
  • Team Training: Practice using checklists in team settings to improve teamwork and communication when performing CPR or resuscitation.

📌Related Post: Understanding the Five Fundamental Steps of BLS



an older lady giving first aid to a young female

How to Use a Basic Life Support (BLS) Checklist Effectively:

  • Learn the checklist: Familiarise yourself with the contents of the checklist before an emergency happens.
  • Keep it handy: Ensure the checklist is easy to access in different forms, such as pocket cards, posters, or digital apps.
  • Quick reference: Use the checklist as a guide during an emergency to make sure you follow all the steps correctly.
  • Follow the steps: Start with the scene safety assessment and work your way through each step of the checklist.
  • Guide CPR: Use the checklist to help you with proper hand placement, compression rate, and depth when performing CPR.
  • Use for specific actions: Refer to the checklist for important tasks like using an AED, giving rescue breaths, or switching rescuers.
  • Practice with it: Use the checklist during training and practice exercises to reinforce the correct techniques and gain confidence.
  • Review after emergencies: After the situation, check the checklist to ensure all steps were followed correctly and find areas to improve.
  • Keep it updated: Make sure the checklist is up-to-date with the latest guidelines from trusted sources, like the Resuscitation Council UK.
  • Evaluate performance: Use the checklist to evaluate how well CPR was performed during training or recertification.
trainer-led basic life support training

Final Note and What Next

The Basic Life Support (BLS) checklist is an essential tool in emergency care, helping to standardise actions and improve patient outcomes. It offers a clear, step-by-step guide for performing BLS, ensuring life-saving steps are carried out properly and quickly.

As resuscitation techniques and research continue to improve, BLS checklists will stay vital in emergency care, adjusting to include new findings and best practices.

Healthcare providers, first responders, and even bystanders can all benefit from these checklists, which help improve survival rates and outcomes for those who suffer from cardiac arrest.

If you need hands-on training on first aid courses, please reach out to our team by send us a mail enquiries@caringforcare.co.uk. We have trainer-led first aid courses that you can always checkout.

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