Step by step guide to check someone’s pulse
First, note that there are two main locations where you can check for a pulse:
Wrist and Neck.
Also make sure the person is lying on a flat surface.
To check pulse in wrist:
- Hold the person’s arm so it’s straight and their palm is facing upward
- Place your index (finger after the thumb) and middle finger at the base of their thumb . Apply a little pressure.
3. Using a stopwatch or timer that counts seconds, count how many beats you feel in a minute. You can also count for 30 secs and multiply the beats you feel in that time by 2 to get the beats per minute (bpm).
4. If you can’t find their pulse, move your fingers around the area a bit and press a little bit harder.
To check pulse in neck:
- Place your index and middle fingers on the hollow part beside the middle of their neck (the hollow part beside the pipe that connects the throat to the lungs)
2. Using a stopwatch or timer that counts seconds, count how many beats you feel in a minute. You can also count for 30 secs and multiply the beats you feel in that time by 2 to get the beats per minute (bpm)
3. If you can’t find their pulse, move your fingers around the area a bit and press a little bit harder.
Interpretation
Normal: 60-100 bpm
Slow heart rate: less than 60 bpm
Fast heart rate: more than 100 bpm
When to call for help: If the person is unconscious, not breathing, has a very slow or very fast pulse, has a weak pulse, call us immediately on; 09155556030, 09155556040
