Chain of Survival
If you see someone unconscious:
- First check if you, the victim and any bystanders are safe
- Check if the victim reacts. Squeeze their shoulder and see if they respond when you speak to them
- Send for help – call 000
If the victim responds:
- If the person is responding, they are conscious and their airway is clear, assess how you can help them with any injury.
If the victim does not respond, call for help and perform the following ABCD steps:
- Airway –Check their airway by opening their mouth and having a look inside. If their mouth is clear, tilt their head gently back (by lifting their chin) and check for breathing. If the mouth is not clear, place the person on their side, open their mouth and clear the contents, then tilt the head back and check for breathing.
- Breathing – check for breathing by looking for chest movements (up and down). Listen by putting your ear near to their mouth and nose. Feel for breathing by putting your hand on the lower part of their chest. If the person is unconscious but breathing, turn them onto their side, carefully ensuring that you keep their head, neck and spine in alignment. Monitor their breathing until you hand over to the ambulance officers.
- CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and/or Defibrillator – If you can not establish vital functions, access the nearest CardiAid AED. If a second person is present, ask them to retrieve the CardiAid AED while beginning CPR: make sure the patient is flat on their back and then place the heel of one hand in the centre of their chest and your other hand on top. Press down firmly and smoothly (compressing to one third of their chest depth) 30 times. Give two breaths. To get the breath in, tilt their head back gently by lifting their chin.
- Call 000 or ask a bystander to call.
- CardiAid switches on automatically when you open the lid. Follow the voice and visual instructions.
- Bare the chest of the patient. If necessary, use the included scissors and cut the garment open.
- Remove the pads from their packaging.
- Remove the back of the pad and place the electrodes as shown on the bare chest of the patient on the pad electrodes.
- Stick the electrodes as on the bare chest of the patient as per diagrams on pads.
- CardiAid immediately begins to analyse the heart rhythm. If a shock is required the machine will automatically issue one without the rescuer needing to press a button. Make sure that nobody touches the victim during the analysis or if a shock is required.
- CardiAid continues to guide the user during the resuscitation process. If requested, continue CPR giving 30 chest compressions and follow the voice instructions of this CardiAid. CardiAid emits a beep metronomically that indicates the right rhythm for chest compressions.
- After 30 compressions, give two mouth-to-mouth ventilations. Continue CPR, following the instructions of CardiAid, until you hear the instruction “Do not touch the patient anymore”.