CPR AED Use 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An AED is available but the victim is lying in a puddle of water. What should you do?
- Use the AED immediately — water does not affect it
- Move the victim to a dry surface before using the AED (Correct answer)
- Do not use the AED — call for a different device
- Place towels around the victim and use the AED
Correct answer: Move the victim to a dry surface before using the AED
Move the victim away from standing water before using the AED, as water can conduct electricity and reduce shock effectiveness or endanger rescuers.
Question 2: A victim has a visible implanted pacemaker in the upper chest. How should AED pads be placed?
- Place the pad directly over the device for best contact
- Avoid placing the pad within 1 inch of the device; use alternate pad positions if necessary (Correct answer)
- AED cannot be used on patients with pacemakers
- Only physicians can use an AED on pacemaker patients
Correct answer: Avoid placing the pad within 1 inch of the device; use alternate pad positions if necessary
AED pads should be placed at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) away from an implanted device to prevent interfering with the shock; use anteroposterior placement if needed.
Question 3: A victim is wearing a medication patch on their chest. What should you do before applying AED pads?
- Place the AED pad over the patch for best contact
- Remove the patch and wipe the skin clean before applying the pad (Correct answer)
- Ignore the patch and apply the pad nearby
- The patch has no effect on AED use
Correct answer: Remove the patch and wipe the skin clean before applying the pad
Medication patches (nitroglycerin, nicotine, etc.) should be removed and the skin wiped clean before AED pad placement to prevent burns and ensure good pad adhesion.
Question 4: What should be done if an AED pad does not stick properly to the victim's hairy chest?
- Use the AED anyway
- Firmly press and hold the pads in place
- Quickly shave the area using the razor in the AED kit if available, then reapply (Correct answer)
- Apply tape over the pads
Correct answer: Quickly shave the area using the razor in the AED kit if available, then reapply
A hairy chest prevents good pad adhesion; many AED kits include a razor — quickly shave the pad placement areas for better contact before applying pads.
Question 5: How soon after cardiac arrest should defibrillation ideally occur to maximize survival?
- Within 30 minutes
- Within 10 minutes
- Within 3–5 minutes (Correct answer)
- Within 1 minute
Correct answer: Within 3–5 minutes
Survival rates from VF cardiac arrest drop approximately 7–10% per minute without defibrillation; defibrillation within 3–5 minutes greatly improves survival outcomes.
Question 6: After delivering an AED shock and resuming CPR, when should the AED next analyze the rhythm?
- Immediately after the shock
- After 2 minutes of CPR (5 cycles) (Correct answer)
- After 5 minutes of CPR
- Only when the victim shows signs of life
Correct answer: After 2 minutes of CPR (5 cycles)
The AED should re-analyze the rhythm after every 2 minutes of CPR (approximately 5 cycles) — this is the standard protocol to minimize compression interruptions.
CPR AED Use 2
An AED is available but the victim is lying in a puddle of water.
What should you do?