AED training can be online, traditional, part of first aid or CPR training. It covers using the device, resuscitating adults and children, and coordinating AED use with CPR. Healthcare providers receive combined CPR and AED training, including when to defibrillate or start CPR first, and contraindications for use.
The different types of automated external defibrillator (AED) training can be classified according to how the instructions for using the medical device are provided or according to the different types of training itself. AED training is available online, as a traditional course offered by many organizations, as part of first aid training, and as part of provider-level cardiopulmonary (CPR) training. When speaking of the various types of AED training, there is training in using the medical device to defibrillate an adult’s heart and training in resuscitating children. Training can be performed with a semiautomatic AED, also known as a shock defibrillator, or with a fully automatic unit. It may also cover how to maintain the device and coordinate AED use with CPR.
Among the things learned in any kind of competent AED training are the steps that must be taken to operate the unit, how to turn it on and, if necessary, change it to give instructions in a language the operator can understand. Students also learn how to properly attach electrodes to a patient, how to press the analysis button, and the need to ensure that no one touches the patient during analysis. AED training with fully automatic units does not require a lot of work on the part of the operator after the device is attached to the victim. Semi-automatic units require a button to be pressed if a shock is recommended.
Healthcare providers, such as emergency medical technicians (EMTs), always receive a combination of CPR and AED training because they are often involved in coordinating two-person CPR and AED use in the field. This type of training focuses on combining both life-saving interventions to give the victim the best chance of recovery. For example, students learn when to defibrillate first and when to start CPR first. They also learn about non-shockable rhythms such as pulseless electrical activity (PEA) and asystole – times when an AED is not helpful.
Arguably, the AED training that healthcare professionals receive differs from the training that laypersons receive because of the rules that paramedics and paramedics working in the field must follow regarding decisions of when to transport victims to the hospital or a specialized service center. This type of AED training also covers contraindications for the use of these defibrillators. There are times when the device should not be used, such as some situations involving trauma that caused life-threatening bleeding and in cases of hypothermia.
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