…make sure nobody is touching the person.
Follow the AED’s prompts exactly.
If it determines that a shock is required, it will instruct you accordingly. If the rhythm isn’t shockable, it won’t tell you to deliver one.
Once analysis or a shock is complete, resume CPR promptly when instructed.
AED technology has made defibrillation part of basic life support precisely because the machine can accurately analyse the rhythm.
You don’t need to interpret an ECG—the AED does that job for you.
Tomorrow: we’ll meet one of the abnormal rhythms an AED is designed to recognise: ventricular fibrillation.
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Acknowledgement
We fact-check data and information against recognised sources, including the New Zealand Resuscitation Council, Health Navigator New Zealand, St John, and other recognised entities specialising in the specific subject content. Protocols vary, and we note differences where necessary.