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How to Use an AED in an Emergency

For an unresponsive person who is not breathing normally, call emergency services, start CPR and bring an AED. Turn it on, expose and dry the chest, attach pads as pictured, clear everyone for analysis and any shock, then immediately resume CPR and follow prompts.

Timeline

  1. Immediately after collapse: Confirm the scene is safe, check responsiveness and normal breathing, call emergency services and begin CPR while an AED is retrieved.
  2. As soon as the AED arrives: Turn it on, attach pads to the bare dry chest as pictured and obey its voice or visual prompts.
  3. After analysis or a shock: Resume CPR immediately and continue following the AED and dispatcher until the person moves or trained responders take over.

Use an automated external defibrillator when a person is unresponsive and is not breathing normally or is only gasping, signs consistent with cardiac arrest. First make sure the scene is safe. Shout for help, have someone call 911 or the local emergency number and send another person for the AED. If alone with an adult, call and get a nearby AED as emergency guidance directs. Start chest compressions promptly; do not wait idle for the device to arrive. [1][2][3]

When the AED arrives, turn it on and follow its spoken and visual prompts. Continue CPR while another rescuer opens and prepares the unit when possible, pausing only when the device instructs. Remove clothing covering the chest. If the chest is wet, wipe the pad-placement areas dry. The device analyzes the rhythm and determines whether a shock is appropriate; the rescuer does not diagnose the rhythm or decide the energy setting. [1][2]

Peel the backing from the pads and place them on bare skin exactly as the diagrams show. For an adult or larger child, the usual arrangement is one pad on the upper right chest and the other on the lower left side below the armpit. Plug in the pad cable if the model requires it. If the two pads would touch on a smaller body, Red Cross guidance places one in the center of the chest and the other on the back between the shoulder blades. [1]

Before rhythm analysis, loudly tell everyone to stand clear and look to confirm that nobody is touching the person. Movement or contact can interfere with analysis. If the AED says a shock is advised, again clear everyone, visually confirm separation and press the shock button if the device requires manual activation. Fully automatic units may deliver after a countdown, so follow that model's prompts. Never touch the person during analysis or shock delivery. [1][2]

Immediately resume CPR after the shock, starting with compressions. If the AED says no shock is advised, also resume CPR immediately; “no shock” does not mean the emergency is over. Push hard and fast in the center of an adult's chest at 100 to 120 compressions per minute, following dispatcher instructions and the skills from current training. Stop only for AED prompts, clear signs of life, an unsafe scene, physical inability to continue or takeover by trained responders. [1][2][3]

For children and infants, use pediatric pads or a pediatric mode when available and follow the AED's diagrams, dispatcher and current pediatric training. The Red Cross step page cited here specifically describes adults and non-breathing children age eight or older who weigh more than 55 pounds; it should not be stretched into a complete infant protocol. Water, implanted devices, medication patches, unusual chest anatomy and trauma can require model-specific pad adjustments, so obey the AED instructions and emergency dispatcher. [1][3]

Leave the pads attached and continue the cycles the AED requests until the person begins to breathe or move, emergency medical personnel take over or the scene becomes unsafe. If the person revives, monitor breathing and follow the dispatcher; the person still needs urgent evaluation. This guide supports recall rather than certification. Hands-on CPR/AED training builds speed and confidence, but an untrained bystander should still call emergency services, begin dispatcher-guided CPR and use the public AED's prompts instead of waiting for a trained person. [1][2][3]

Sources

  1. American Red Cross — AED Steps
  2. American Heart Association — What Is an AED and How to Use One During Cardiac Arrest
  3. American Heart Association — Treatment of Cardiac Arrest

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