An automatic external defibrillator (AKA an AED or defib for short) is a device that uses electricity to attempt to restart the heart in cardiac arrest. It does this by providing a shock to the heart in the hope that the disorganised electrical activity will stop and normal electrical activity will take over, allowing the heart to beat effectively.
Some people find this analogy helpful to understand how a defibrillator works;
Imagine your computer (the heart) has frozen. There may be electrical activity running through the computer however it is no longer working. To restart the computer we press ‘control alt delete’ forcing a shutdown (delivering a shock) in the hope the computer will reboot and start up again working normally.
Does defibrillation increase the chance of survival in cardiac arrest?
Significantly!
According to recent research from St John Ambulance Western Australia the use of a community based defibrillator early in cardiac arrest can triple someone’s chance of survival.
Research also tells us that for every minute that CPR and defibrillation are delayed, a person may lose up to 10% of their chance of survival.
For this reason it’s super important to know CPR, and to make a mental note of where your closest defibrillator locations are.
To help save lives, locate the closest defibrillator to your place of work, the gym, your local park, shopping centres and all other places you visit regularly.
To make finding your local defibrillator locations easy, you can also download the St John First Responder app which has over 10 thousand registered community defibrillators on its network here in Western Australia, you can find the link here!
When would I use a defibrillator?
If someone is unconscious or you suspect they are in cardiac arrest, work through your primary survey (DRSABCD) until you get to D which stands for defibrillator. At this point, if you have access to a defibrillator, turn it on and follow the prompts.
If there is more than one person applying first aid, one person can continue to do CPR while the other applies the defibrillator. Continue CPR as best you can while the other person turns the defibrillator on and follows the prompts.
Can I hurt someone using a defibrillator?
The only way you can hurt someone is by not using a defibrillator when it is needed.
There is often a fear associated with using a defibrillator however ANYONE can use one to try and save someone’s life, even if they are not first aid trained.
You cannot hurt someone using a defibrillator, quite the opposite, you may in fact save their life.
How do I use a defibrillator?
Defibrillators are so easy to use. They are designed so that even if you have never learnt first aid you can still use one.
Once you open the defibrillator, pull the handle or press the on button and listen for verbal prompts (there will also be visual prompts which can be handy in a loud environment). The steps will be similar to the following:
1). Remove the person’s clothing (including their bra) from the waist up. There will be sheers in the defibrillator case to do this.
2). Place the pads on the person’s bare chest, the verbal prompts will tell you how to do this.
3). Listen to the AED’s instructions while it checks to see if a shock is required, a shock will not always be recommended. Instead the defibrillator may instruct you to continue CPR or check for signs of life.
4). If a shock is required, ensure no one is touching the person and deliver the shock as per the instructions, the defibrillator will usually tell you to ‘press the flashing orange button now’.
5). After a shock the defibrillator will advise you to continue CPR when safe to do so. Continue to listen to the AED as it will assess if another shock is required every two minutes (this is a good time to swap compressors so you do not fatigue).
6). Continue CPR until the ambulance arrives or the person begins to breathe effectively on their own.
Is it safe to place a defibrillator on a baby or a child?
Yes it is!
Not too long ago there were concerns around the use of defibrillators on infants (babies under the age of one). However recent research tells us that the benefits actually outweigh the risks, so we now use defibrillators at all ages.
Are there different sized pads for adults and infants and children?
Most defibrillators will come with paediatric and adult sized pads. Paediatric pads can be used on anyone aged 0-8 and adult pads can be used on anyone 8 and over.
To reduce stress in an emergency there are pictures on each pad so that you know exactly where to place them on the chest.
If you only have access to adult pads you can still use them on children under 8, however it is important to know that pads can not touch on the chest as this can cause electricity to arc.
To avoid this in smaller children and babies pads can be placed in a front and back position (one pad placed on the upper back between the shoulder blades and the other pad on the front of the chest, if possible slightly to the left).
What if I accidentally put the pads on the wrong way around?
No problems, the pads are biphasic so the electricity will travel both ways, so long as they are creating a pathway through the heart and they are not touching they should be fine.
Anything else I should know about applying defibrillator pads?
If a person’s chest is wet, quickly dry it before applying pads.
Ensure no jewellery is touching the pads as metal conducts electricity and can cause burns. You don’t need to remove all jewellery as we don’t want to delay lifesaving defibrillation, just keep it away from the pads.
If the person has a pacemaker, place the pad 8 cm away from the device. You will know they have a pacemaker as you will see a small bump under a scar on the skin, usually on the top left side of the chest.
Hopefully you now have a better understanding of defibrillation and its importance in saving lives. If you want to learn how to recognise and manage a person in cardiac arrest, including CPR and using a defibrillator, sign up for a course with us today!