Will an AED still deliver a shock if I don’t follow the pictures?

The AED may deliver a shock if you don’t follow the pictures on the pads and place them on the adult patient with one pad on the upper left just under the left collar bone and the other pad just under the right arm. However, the AED may not be able to do an optimal analysis of the heart and the energy provided by the shock may be less effective. It is always best practice to apply AED pads in the positions shown on the pads.

The pictures on the AED pads provide untrained rescuers with the pictorial location of where they should be placed on the individual for optimal analysis of the heart rhythm to recognize one of 2 types of abnormal heart rhythms, Ventricular Fibrillation(VF) and Pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia(VT).

Below is a picture for the optimal placement of the AED pads:

Once the AED has recognized the correct heart rhythm, the AED will charge up and prompt you to first clear everyone from the individual and then have you press the Shock button. Once you have delivered the shock, follow the AED prompts.

Remember, to first turn the AED on by either pressing the On button or by opening up the cover then follow all of the prompts from the AED.