AED and CPR are the two responses that give someone in cardiac arrest the best chance of surviving outside a hospital. The people nearby when a heart stops determine what happens next, and that includes you. Australia has more publicly accessible defibrillators than at any previous point, and they are designed to guide anyone through the process. What happens in those first minutes is within your control.
What is an AED and How Do You Use One?
An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a portable, battery-powered device that analyses the heart’s electrical activity and delivers a controlled shock if it detects a life-threatening irregular rhythm. In the context of AED and CPR response, it is the tool that handles what hands cannot: correct the heart’s electrical pattern.
Once the pads are attached and connected, if the heart is beating in a chaotic or an abnormally fast pattern that prevents it from pumping blood, the AED detects this and advises a shock. It will not deliver a shock to a heart beating normally.
To use an AED:
- Open the AED case or press the power button.
- Remove all clothing from the person’s chest.
- Peel the backing from the adhesive pads. Place one pad on the upper right chest, below the collarbone. Place the other on the lower left side of the chest, below the armpit. Follow the diagram printed on each pad.
- Plug the pad connector into the AED if it is not already connected.
- Stand back from the person while the device analyses their heart rhythm. Follow the voice instructions.
- If the AED advises a shock: make sure no one is touching the person, then press the shock button when prompted.
- Continue following the AED’s voice instructions until paramedics take over.
When someone’s heart stops pumping blood normally, chest compressions keep blood flowing to the brain and rescue breaths keep that blood oxygenated. But CPR alone cannot restore a normal heart rhythm. An AED and CPR together produce outcomes that neither achieves alone.
When to Use an AED: Cardiac Arrest and Other First Aid Emergencies
An AED is used when a person is unresponsive, not breathing normally, and their heart is not beating correctly. In cases of cardiac arrest, the person may show no chest rise at all, or breathe in irregular, shallow gasps. This gasping pattern, called agonal breathing, is not normal breathing.
An AED and CPR can be needed after other medical emergencies including drowning, electrocution, or a severe allergic reaction. In each case the signs are the same: unresponsive and not breathing normally.
When Not to Use a Defibrillator: Myths About CPR and AEDs
A person who is conscious and responsive does not need defibrillation. In cardiac arrest, the person will be completely unresponsive, which leaves no room for doubt. Call 000 and keep the person still and calm until paramedics arrive.
When responding to a drowning emergency, move the person to dry ground before applying the device. Once the person is on dry ground, dry the chest before placing the pads.
An AED should never be used on a child under the age of one year old by anyone who doesn’t have the professional paramedic training to adjust the strength of the shock for their smaller body size.
Being Ready By Learning CPR and AED Use
AED and CPR together form the most effective response available when someone’s heart stops. Acting quickly converts that response into a chance at survival. A CPR course gives you the practice needed alongside experience with an AED. Enrolling in a CPR course is how you change what happens in those first minutes when the person on the ground is someone you know.
FAQs
How Does an AED Affect Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Survival Rates?
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival with bystander CPR sits at approximately 9%. When an AED is used that figure increases to approximately 24%.
How Often Should I Take a HLTAID009 Perform CPR Course?
The Australian Resuscitation Council recommends renewing your HLTAID009 CPR certification every 12 months.
Can You Be Sued for Giving CPR?
Good Samaritan legislation in Australia protects bystanders who perform CPR in an emergency, provided they act in good faith and with reasonable care. You do not need training or certification to use one.