There’s An AED! Do You Know How to Use It?
It All Begins Here
According to the American Heart Association, over 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside hospitals each year in the U.S. Nearly 70% happen at home.
As a nurse, I've seen how fast emergencies happen. The difference between life and death often comes down to whether someone nearby knows CPR. When I walk into many facilities to teach CPR, one of the first things I notice is that there is often an AED mounted on the wall. That’s a great first step toward emergency preparedness.
But I usually ask a simple question:
“If someone collapsed right now, would you know how to use that AED?”
Most of the time the answers sound like this:
“I think so.”
“Maybe?”
Or sometimes, “No.”
There’s often a lot of uncertainty. The device is there, but many people are not confident in how to use it.
An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is designed to help restart the heart during sudden cardiac arrest, and when used quickly alongside CPR, it can significantly increase the chances of survival. But its presence alone doesn’t save lives- people who know what to do do!
In an emergency, those first few minutes matter. If someone collapsed in front of you, would you know how to respond while waiting for emergency services to arrive? The actions taken by bystanders can make the difference between life and death.
Three Things Everyone Should Remember In An Emergency:
Make sure the scene is safe- before helping anyone, make sure the environment is safe for you, the person in need, and those around you.
Know Where the AED is and How to Use It-every workplace should know where the AED is located and how to turn it on.
Call for Help Immediately- always call for help right away. Early response from trained professionals is critical as are the actions taken before they arrive.