BLS Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Use 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: How often should AED pads be replaced when used on a victim during an extended resuscitation attempt?
- Every 5 minutes regardless of condition
- Only if the pads visibly lose adhesion or the AED prompts you to change them (Correct answer)
- After every shock delivered
- Every 2 minutes with CPR cycles
Correct answer: Only if the pads visibly lose adhesion or the AED prompts you to change them
Pads should be replaced if they lose adhesion or the AED indicates a pad error; otherwise, leave them in place throughout the resuscitation.
Question 2: An AED delivers a shock. How long should rescuers perform CPR before the AED re-analyzes the rhythm?
- 30 seconds
- 1 minute
- 2 minutes (5 cycles of 30:2 CPR) (Correct answer)
- 5 minutes
Correct answer: 2 minutes (5 cycles of 30:2 CPR)
After each shock, perform 2 minutes (approximately 5 cycles of 30:2) of high-quality CPR before allowing the AED to re-analyze the rhythm.
Question 3: A victim of lightning strike is found unresponsive. Is it safe to use an AED?
- No, lightning victims retain electrical charge that can shock rescuers
- Yes, lightning victims do not retain electrical charge and AED use is safe and indicated (Correct answer)
- Only if the victim is not on the ground
- Only trained electricians should approach lightning victims
Correct answer: Yes, lightning victims do not retain electrical charge and AED use is safe and indicated
Lightning victims do not retain electrical charge; it is safe to touch them and use an AED immediately if indicated.
Question 4: Which of the following BEST explains why early defibrillation significantly improves survival from cardiac arrest?
- It restores breathing before circulation
- Each minute without defibrillation in VF reduces survival by approximately 7-10% (Correct answer)
- It replaces the need for CPR entirely
- It prevents brain injury by cooling the brain
Correct answer: Each minute without defibrillation in VF reduces survival by approximately 7-10%
Survival rates from VF decrease by approximately 7-10% for every minute without defibrillation, making rapid AED use critical to survival.
Question 5: An AED gives a 'check pads' or 'check electrodes' message. What is the most likely cause?
- The victim's rhythm is too slow to analyze
- A pad is not properly adhering to the skin, has come loose, or a lead is disconnected (Correct answer)
- The AED battery is dead
- The victim has regained a pulse
Correct answer: A pad is not properly adhering to the skin, has come loose, or a lead is disconnected
A 'check pads' message typically indicates poor pad contact due to skin moisture, hair, or a disconnected cable; reposition or replace pads and reconnect leads.
Question 6: When using an AED in a moving vehicle (such as an ambulance), what precaution is necessary?
- No precautions are needed; AEDs work normally in motion
- Stop the vehicle before analyzing the rhythm, as motion can cause artifact and inaccurate analysis (Correct answer)
- Increase the shock energy to compensate for motion
- Use CPR only; AED is ineffective in vehicles
Correct answer: Stop the vehicle before analyzing the rhythm, as motion can cause artifact and inaccurate analysis
Vehicle motion causes artifact that can interfere with AED rhythm analysis; stop the vehicle briefly during analysis and shock delivery.
Question 7: A bystander who used an AED is emotionally distressed after the victim did not survive. What is the most appropriate response from a team leader?
- Tell the bystander they made a mistake
- Reassure the bystander that they did the right thing and that AED use gave the victim the best possible chance (Correct answer)
- Discourage the bystander from ever using an AED again
- Explain that only trained professionals should use AEDs
Correct answer: Reassure the bystander that they did the right thing and that AED use gave the victim the best possible chance
Bystanders who use AEDs should be praised for acting correctly; outcomes depend on many factors beyond any single rescuer's control.
BLS Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Use 5
How often should AED pads be replaced when used on a victim during an extended resuscitation attempt?