AED used: the procedure to follow after an intervention

Once the shock has been delivered or the analysis finished, the automated external defibrillator keeps guiding resuscitation gestures until the emergency team arrives. It must not be switched off, and the electrodes must not be removed, before the medical team has taken over the patient. The call to emergency services stays active throughout the intervention, with regular updates on the victim's condition passed to the dispatcher.

The witness who triggered the alert passes on useful information to the arriving emergency team: approximate time of the cardiac arrest, number of shocks delivered, duration of chest compressions performed before their arrival. These details guide the hospital care that follows and are recorded by the medical team.

In the minutes that follow, the witnesses' role does not end once the patient is handed over. It remains useful to stay available to the medical team while it gathers any last piece of information, before turning to putting the equipment back in order.

Most defibrillators record the intervention on a memory card or an internal chip: analysed heart rhythm, shocks delivered, duration of chest compressions. This data is part of the patient's medical follow-up and must be handed to the care team or kept by the operator according to the terms set out in the manufacturer's instructions.

Some models allow the history to be exported directly to a computer or a dedicated application. This step must never delay care for the victim: it happens afterwards, once the emergency team has left.

Electrode pads (AED) are single use: they must be replaced after every use, even if their expiry date has not been reached. The battery, drawn on during the analysis and the shock, deserves an immediate check of its charge level, and possibly a replacement if it is close to the end of its service life, generally between three and five years depending on the model.

The accessory kit that comes with the device, razor, scissors, gloves, gauze, often ends up incomplete after a real intervention. A systematic check avoids missing an item the next time it is needed. Keeping a spare set of electrodes near the cabinet, rather than in a distant drawer, means it can be replaced instantly without waiting for a new order.

The site operator records the date, the context and the follow-up of the intervention in the defibrillator's safety log, alongside periodic checks and consumable replacements. This traceability is part of the maintenance obligations that fall on the operator, set out in the French article R. 5212-25 of the Public Health Code (Code de la santé publique).

If the device behaved abnormally during the intervention, failure to recognise the rhythm, error message, unexpected shutdown, the supplier who provided it should be informed promptly so a technical check or a replacement can be assessed. This should also be reported even for a seemingly minor incident: a defect that recurs across several interventions can point to a wider problem.

Before placing the device back in its cabinet, make sure the status indicator turns green again and that the self-test reports no anomaly. A defibrillator that has not been restocked with electrodes, or left discharged, is no longer operational for the next emergency, which defeats the whole purpose of having it on site.

The cabinet itself deserves a quick check: proper closing, audible alarm where fitted, and clear visibility of the signage, which must remain visible from the site's passageways.

Helping someone in cardiac arrest leaves a lasting mark on witnesses, whether or not they are trained in life-saving gestures. Taking time to talk with site management, or even referring them to psychological support, helps ensure the experience does not discourage future intervention.

Recalling that every minute gained before defibrillation increases the chances of survival by about 10 percent also helps put the value of the act into perspective, whatever the outcome for the victim.