If the victim is lying in water, move him or her to a relatively dry area before using the AED. In wet weather, be sure to wipe the victim’s chest dry before placing the electrode pads.
Can you use an AED on a drowning victim?
An AED is a valuable assessment tool, however it should NEVER be used on someone who is wet. You must ensure that your victim is dry and the area around the victim is dry as well…. Most typically, a drowning victim will have a heart with no electrical activity, which does not require a shock to be delivered by an AED.
What do you do if you need to use AED on someone who has been submerged in water?
What should you do if you are going to use an AED on a victim and you see that they have a medical patch on their right chest?
Turn on the AED and follow any audio and/or visual prompts. Open the person’s shirt and wipe his or her bare chest dry. If the person is wearing any medication patches, you should use a gloved (if possible) hand to remove the patches before wiping the person’s chest.
Can you use an AED if the victim is in the snow?
An AED can be used safely if the victim is found in a small puddle or in the snow. The chest does not need to be completely dry before a shock is delivered, but as much water as possible should be quickly dried from the patient.
Is it OK to use an AED on a pregnant woman?
CPR in a pregnant woman should be done in cycles of 30 compressions and two breaths. It is also safe to use an automated external defibrillator, or AED, if one is available. Bystanders should not be afraid they might hurt the unborn baby, Jeejeebhoy said.
Is it safe to use AED when the person is in a pool or lying in a puddle of water?
If adult AED pads are not available, it is ok to use pediatric pads on an adult or on a child older than 8 years or weighing more than 55 pounds. It is safe to use an AED when the person is in a pool or lying in a puddle of water. It is safe to use an AED in rain or snow.
Do you need to remove a bra when using an AED?
Proper steps for performing CPR and using an AED on women
Remove all clothing from the patient’s chest ” this includes swimsuits, bras, sports bras, tank tops, and regular tops. … Bras need to be cut for AED electrode pads to be placed properly. Some women may have smaller breasts that will not fall out of the way.
What is the first step when using an AED?
Do you do CPR on a drowning victim?
“Most drowning victims will have sustained cardiac arrest secondary to hypoxia. In these patients, compression-only CPR is likely to be ineffective and should be avoided. The first and most important treatment of the drowning victim is the immediate provision of ventilation.
What are the 4 special situations you should look for before using an AED?
What are 5 things to remember about using an AED?
Why is it important to make sure no one is touching the individual while the AED is analyzing?
The AED may instruct you to “Stop CPR, do not touch patient, analysing”. The rescuer will then say “CLEAR!” to ensure that nobody is touching the victim while the AED analyses the victims heart rhythm. A shock is only indicated if the victim’s heart is in ventricular fibrillation (VF) or ventricular tachycardia (VT).
What could happen if you touch the victim while the AED is delivering a shock?
Do not use an AED when there is water present or the victim is wet. Electricity will take the path of least resistance, so if there is water on the chest then the shock will travel through the water instead of the heart muscle. No one should touch the victim during delivery of the electrical shock by an AED.
When should you not use AED?
When using an AED which of the following should you do immediately?
After the AED delivers a shock, or if no shock is advised, immediately resume CPR beginning with chest compressions. Every 2 minutes the AED will prompt you to stop CPR so it can analyze the heart rhythm. CPR is hard work. The quality of compressions will deteriorate quickly, even without the rescuer being aware of it.