How to use a defibrillator.
Example of a cardiac arrest and what to do.
St Johns Ambulance Information on understanding cardiac arrest and what you should do. Click here to go to their page or carry on reading for the information.
Cardiac arrest: COVID-19 update
What is a cardiac arrest?
A
cardiac arrest happens when someone’s heart stops.
If
someone has become unresponsive and they are not breathing normally, they could
be in cardiac arrest and you need to act quickly. Call 999 or 112 for emergency
help and start CPR, using a defibrillator if available.
Signs and symptoms
If
someone has a cardiac arrest, they may:
- be unresponsive
- be not breathing normally
- show no movement or signs of life.
Simples - What to do
1. If you find someone collapsed, you should first perform a primary survey. Do not place your face close to theirs. If this shows that they are unresponsive and not breathing, shout for help. Ask a helper to call 999 or 112 for emergency help while you start CPR. Ask a helper to find and bring a defibrillator, if available.
o
Ask your helper to
put the phone on speaker and hold it out towards you, so they can maintain a 2m
distance
o
If you are on your own, use the
hands-free speaker on a phone so you can start CPR while speaking to ambulance
control
o
Do not leave the casualty to look for
a defibrillator yourself, the ambulance will bring one.
2. Before you start CPR, use a towel or piece of clothing and lay it over the mouth and nose of the casualty.
Start
CPR. Kneel by the casualty and put the heel of your hand in the middle of their
chest.
Put
your other hand on top of the first. Interlock your fingers making sure they
don't touch the ribs.
Keep
your arms straight and lean over the casualty. Press down hard, to a depth of
about 5-6cm before releasing the pressure, allowing the chest to come back up.
o
The beat of the song "Staying
Alive" can help you keep the right rate
o
Do not give rescue
breaths.
3. Continue to perform CPR until:
o
emergency help arrives and takes over
o
the person starts showing signs of
life and starts to breathe normally
o
you are too exhausted to continue -
if there is a helper, you can change over every one-to-two minutes with minimal
interruptions to chest compressions
o
a defibrillator is ready to be used.
4. When the helper returns with a
defibrillator, ask them to switch it on and take the pads out while you
continue with CPR. They should remove or cut through clothing to get to the
casualty's bare chest. They also need to wipe away any sweat.
o
The defibrillator will give voice
prompts on what to do.
5. They should attach the pads to the casualty’s chest by removing the backing paper. Applying the pads in the positions shown.
o
The first pad should be on the upper
right side below the collar bone.
o
The second pad should be on the
casualty’s left side below the arm pit.
6. The defibrillator will analyse the heart's rhythm. Stop CPR, and make sure no one is touching the casualty. It will then give a series of visual and verbal prompts that should be followed.
o
If the defibrillator tells you that a
shock is needed, tell people to stand back. The defibrillator will tell you
when to press the shock button. After the shock has been given, the
defibrillator will tell you to continue CPR for two minutes before it
re-analyses.
o
If the defibrillator tells you that
no shock is needed, continue CPR for two minutes before the defibrillator
re-analyses.
