How to Use a Defibrillator
Defibrillation is an electrical shock delivered to the heart designed to terminate a life-threatening arrhythmia. The Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a device capable of automatically detecting a heart rhythm that requires a shock. The AED will charge itself and prompt the user to deliver a shock to the victim. AEDs analyze the victim's heart rhythm several times to be certain it is a shockable rhythm. All AEDs are operated in more or less the same way.
Steps
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1Confirm cardiac arrest. Check to see if the victim is unable to respond and there is no breathing when you open the airway (by tilting back the head and lifting the chin up).Ad -
2Turn on the AED. -
3Apply pads to the victim's bare chest as shown. -
4If necessary, plug the wire from the pads into the AED (usually next to a flashing light). -
5Allow the AED to analyze the heart rhythm. -
6If a shock is indicated by the AED, push the shock button. -
7If a shock is recommended (sometimes it is not) make certain everyone "stands clear", and does not touch the patient. -
8If the patient is still not breathing, start CPR. Give 30 chest compressions and then 2 rescue breaths and continue this cycle until the AED gives further instructions or the patient starts breathing.Ad
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Tips
- Learn CPR as part of cardiac care.
- Always put the chest pads on a bare chest; failure to do so will cause the AED to be inaccurate.
- Most AEDs come with a razor for possible situations to shave the chest of a person with a hairy chest. If the patient has a hairy chest and there is no razor in the AED kit, put the pads on and them remove them quickly in the opposite direction in which the hair grows. A hairy chest can cause the AED to not be as effective.
- Professional instruction is strongly recommended. You can check with the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross for available classes.There are AED Training machines & classes specifically designed to allow the user to become familiar with the AED "basics" There is no way for an individual to practice with the actual AED.
Warnings
- Make sure that the patient's chest is not wet before attaching the pads. Dry the chest off before attaching chest pads.
- Do not use alcohol pads to clean the chest before attaching pads to the chest.
- Never use an actual AED on a patient that is not displaying any signs of cardiac arrest; use a training AED.
- If find a victim of apparent cardiac arrest, and you have an AED, *use it*. Try to use the proper chest pads for the type of patient, i.e., use pediatric chest pads with pediatric patients, and adult chest pads with adult patients, but both AHA and ILCOR Guidelines recommend that if the correct pad is not available, adult pads may be used on any patient. Place them in the labeled positions, unless the chest is too small to separate the electrodes. If the gap between electrodes on the chest is less than 3cm (1.5 inches), place them on the front and back of the patient, on the left side of the chest and back.
Article Info
Categories: First Aid and Emergencies | Medication and Medical Equipment
In other languages:
Español: Cómo usar un desfibrilador, Deutsch: Einen Defibrillator anwenden, Português: Como Usar Um Desfibrilador, Italiano: Come Usare un Defibrillatore, Русский: использовать дефибриллятор
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