Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is one of the highest-yield topics in NORCET, AIIMS Nursing Officer, ESIC and RRB nursing exams, and it is also a skill every nurse uses on the floor. This guide walks through BLS and ACLS the way examiners test it, alongside the full 40-minute video breakdown so you can watch, revise and practice in one place.
Why CPR and BLS matter for NORCET and AIIMS Nursing Officer
Every major nursing recruitment exam in India draws questions from BLS and ACLS almost every year. Examiners test exact numbers: compression rate, compression depth, compression to ventilation ratio, and drug dosages during a code. Getting these numbers wrong is the single most common reason candidates lose marks on an otherwise easy question. This page is built to close that gap, combining a full video walkthrough with a written reference you can revise the night before your exam.
Watch the full video: CPR, BLS and ACLS explained in 40 minutes
The video covers the complete BLS sequence, the ACLS cardiac arrest algorithm, and worked examples of the exact scenarios NORCET and AIIMS Nursing Officer papers tend to draw from. Watch it once fully, then use the notes below as your quick-revision layer.
What is the chain of survival?
The chain of survival is the sequence of actions that gives a cardiac arrest patient the best chance of survival. Nursing exams frequently ask candidates to identify the correct order or the missing link in this chain.
The five links every nursing student must know
- Early recognition and activation of emergency response
- Early high-quality CPR
- Rapid defibrillation
- Basic and advanced emergency medical services
- Post-cardiac arrest care and recovery
Each link depends on the one before it. A delay at any point, especially recognition or the start of compressions, reduces the chance of a good outcome.
BLS steps for adults, children and infants
Basic Life Support follows the same core logic across age groups, but the numbers change, and this is exactly where exam papers try to trip candidates up.
Compression rate and depth
For adults, compressions should be delivered at a rate of 100 to 120 per minute, at a depth of 2 to 2.4 inches, allowing full chest recoil between compressions. For children, the depth is about one third of the chest’s anteroposterior diameter, roughly 2 inches. For infants, the depth is also about one third of the chest diameter, roughly 1.5 inches, using two fingers or the two-thumb encircling technique when two rescuers are present.
Compression to ventilation ratio
A single rescuer uses a 30:2 ratio for adults, children and infants. When two trained rescuers are managing a child or infant, the ratio changes to 15:2. This distinction between single-rescuer and two-rescuer ratios for pediatric patients is one of the most commonly tested points in nursing exams.
Airway and breathing checks
Before starting compressions, the rescuer checks for responsiveness and normal breathing for no more than 10 seconds. Gasping is not normal breathing and should be treated as a sign that CPR is needed immediately. Once the airway is opened using a head-tilt chin-lift, or a jaw thrust if spinal injury is suspected, rescue breaths are given only if the rescuer is trained and willing to do so.
ACLS algorithm for cardiac arrest
Advanced Cardiac Life Support builds on BLS by adding rhythm identification, defibrillation and medications. Exam questions on ACLS usually center on identifying the rhythm and choosing the correct next step.
Shockable vs non-shockable rhythms
Ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia are shockable rhythms, meaning defibrillation is indicated immediately. Asystole and pulseless electrical activity are non-shockable rhythms, where the focus stays on high-quality CPR and identifying reversible causes rather than shocking the patient. Confusing which rhythms are shockable is one of the most repeated mistakes in mock tests.
Common ACLS drugs and dosages
Epinephrine is given at 1 mg IV or IO every 3 to 5 minutes throughout the arrest, regardless of rhythm. For shockable rhythms that persist after the first shock and epinephrine, amiodarone is given at 300 mg for the first dose, followed by 150 mg for a second dose if needed. Lidocaine is an accepted alternative to amiodarone where amiodarone is unavailable. Defibrillation energy depends on the device, typically 120 to 200 joules for biphasic defibrillators, with the details usually printed on the machine itself.
CPR and BLS previous year questions for NORCET
These reflect the style and difficulty level seen in recent NORCET and AIIMS Nursing Officer papers.
- What is the recommended compression rate during adult CPR?
- In a two-rescuer scenario for an infant, what is the correct compression to ventilation ratio?
- Which rhythm is treated with immediate defibrillation, ventricular fibrillation or asystole?
- What is the standard adult dose of epinephrine during cardiac arrest, and how often is it repeated?
- What is the correct compression depth for an adult during CPR?
Work through each of these after watching the video, and try to explain your reasoning out loud, not just recall the number. Exams increasingly frame these as scenario-based questions rather than direct recall.
Common mistakes nursing students make in CPR MCQs
Most errors in this section come from three places. First, mixing up the single-rescuer and two-rescuer ratios for children and infants. Second, confusing shockable and non-shockable rhythms under exam pressure. Third, misremembering drug dosages by attaching the wrong number to the wrong drug, particularly amiodarone’s two different doses. Slow, deliberate practice with previous year questions fixes all three far more reliably than passive reading.
Frequently asked questions
What is the compression to ventilation ratio in single-rescuer adult CPR?
The ratio is 30 compressions to 2 breaths for a single rescuer performing CPR on an adult.
What is the difference between BLS and ACLS?
BLS covers the immediate response to cardiac arrest, including chest compressions, airway management and rescue breathing, performed without advanced equipment. ACLS adds rhythm interpretation, defibrillation, IV or IO drug administration and advanced airway management, and is typically led by trained personnel with access to a defibrillator and medications.
How often is epinephrine given during a cardiac arrest?
Epinephrine 1 mg IV or IO is given every 3 to 5 minutes throughout resuscitation, for both shockable and non-shockable rhythms.
Is CPR a frequently asked topic in NORCET?
Yes. BLS and ACLS questions appear in nearly every recent NORCET and AIIMS Nursing Officer paper, usually testing exact numbers rather than general concepts, which makes precise recall essential.