What is the First Thing You Should Do When Using the AED?
Do you know what to do if someone in your workplace suffers cardiac arrest? It can be a panicked situation, especially if you don’t know the signs of one. It’s even more dangerous if you’ve never personally dealt with that kind of situation in the past.
Not many people know how to use a defibrillator, but it can be a crucial tool in an emergency situation. Automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, can dramatically increase a person’s survival rate.
Here are some of the first steps you should take when using an AED unit.
Call for Paramedics
First, and foremost, you’ll want to call the paramedics. Using an AED unit is not a replacement for medical assistance or care. The main purpose of an AED is to increase someone’s survival in the first few minutes of their cardiac arrest. It analyzes the heart rhythm of a victim and shocks it to try to reset that rhythm. This way, blood can continue flowing into all the victim’s vital organs. A professional medical team will be required to stabilize the individual while they recover. You can find a list of emergency numbers online for any location you’re in. There are different numbers for each service, but they can all redirect you to the appropriate one.
Check the Victim’s Breathing
While you’re on the phone, you’ll also want to check the victim’s vitals. Are they still breathing and do they have a pulse? If they’re not breathing, then you may need to give them some chest compressions before using the AED. You can check a person’s pulse by feeling at their neck, the inside of their elbow, or their wrist. It may be easier to detect in certain areas depending on the person. As for their breathing, see if their chest is rising and falling. Put your ear to their mouth and nose to check for airflow. You may also feel their breath against your face.
Follow the AED Prompts
Once you’ve located an AED, you’ll need to place the electrode pads onto the victim’s bare chest. One pad goes on the upper right side while the other goes slightly below the armpit on the left side. The defibrillator will automatically analyze the person’s heart rate. You should stop CPR at this point. If the victim’s heart is in some kind of cardiac arrest, then the device will let you know if they need a shock. You can then manually press the shock button on the AED to do so.
Keep an AED Around for Emergencies
You never know when someone will have a cardiac arrest episode and need emergency care as soon as possible. Without assistance, they may pass away long before the ambulance even arrives. An AED allows you to jumpstart the heart and help it regain a normal rhythm. Electrogas in Red Deer, Calgary and Edmonton area has all the supplies you need for gas detection, safety on the job, and more. We also offer servicing, software, and online training. Contact us to learn about our products.