Emergency Medical Technician how-to
How to Use an AED During CPR
Early defibrillation dramatically improves survival from sudden cardiac arrest.
Early defibrillation dramatically improves survival from sudden cardiac arrest. In short: confirm; turn; expose, then complete the remaining steps below.
Step by step
Confirm unresponsiveness and no normal breathing, call for help and start high-quality chest compressions.
Turn on the AED as soon as it arrives and follow the voice prompts.
Expose the chest, wipe it dry and attach the pads in the pictured positions.
Make sure no one is touching the patient while the AED analyzes the rhythm.
If a shock is advised, state “Clear!”, confirm no one is touching the patient and press the shock button.
Immediately resume CPR for two minutes, then let the AED re-analyze; continue until advanced care takes over.
Safety reminders for emergency medical technicians
- Always size up the scene and wait for law enforcement when a scene isn’t safe
- Wear gloves and eye protection for every patient contact
- Use proper lifting technique and lift with your partner
- Drive the ambulance with due regard for others: emergency status doesn’t remove responsibility
Key terms
NREMT · Scene size-up · Primary assessment · SAMPLE history · OPQRST · AED: see the full emergency medical technician glossary.