Basic Life Support & the Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
Step 1 – On finding a collapsed person…
- SAFE approach
- STIMULATE person
- SHOUT for help
Step 2 – Look for signs of life…
Airway
- Turn person on their back
- Lift chin
- Tilt head back
- Open airway
Breathing
- Cheek to mouth
- Look, listen, feel for breathing
Step 3 – If unresponsive and not breathing…
- Dial 999 and ask for ambulance
- Send someone to bring AED from the phone box
- START chest compressions (CPR)
- Ideally stay with person and ask helper to call
- Stay on phone for instructions
- Use speaker on phone so you can continue CPR
Step 4 – Starting chest compressions (CPR)
Circulation
- Place the heel of your hand in centre of chest with other hand on top
- Compress chest to depth of 5-6cm. Keep arms locked straight
- Compress at rate 100-120 per min (2 per second)
- Minimise pauses in compressions
Step 5 – How to get the AED from Tresham Phone Box
Step 6 Using the AED (Automated External Defibrillator)
- Switch on
- Attach to bare chest
- Continue CPR
- Follow voice command
If shock advised:
- Make sure no one touching person
- Press shock button when prompted
- Continue CPR
Step 7 – Continue CPR until…
…the person wakes, a healthcare professional tells you to stop
OR
you become exhausted
If person starts breathing normally, put them into recovery position and prepare to restart if necessary
Now you can save a life…
- Early recognition and calling help is crucial
- Effective Compressions can double or quadruple survival
- Early defibrillation within 3-5min can produce 50-70% survival
- Each minute delay in defibrillation reduces survival by 10%
Further reading
https://www.cardiacscience.co.uk/products/powerheart-g5-aed/
Demonstrations by:
Emily Murdoch
Evie Murdoch
Charlie Murdoch
