Proper AED Pad Placement: For Adults and Children

An automated external defibrillator, or AED, is a vital resuscitation device that offers life-saving care. But, did you know that AED pad placement is vital for ensuring that a victim’s heart gets the support it needs?

In this guide, we will take you through what you need to know about AED use and placement on people of all ages. We'll also show you can safely use adult pads and pediatric pads to support a sudden cardiac arrest victim – useful advice for first responders, civilian rescuers, and EMS.

AED Pad Placement

Typically, you place AED electrode pads on the bare chest of someone who appears to be suffering from a cardiac arrest. 

An AED machine will scan heart rhythm and fibrillation and ascertain whether or not you need to deliver an electric shock to help the organ regain a healthy beat. 

Without proper AED pad placement, you cannot deliver appropriate first aid through chest compressions – and every second counts. A successful defibrillation depends just as much on where you place the equipment as it does on how you use it. 

Before attempting defibrillator pad placement on your own, check our following advice.

Pad Placement for Adults

Firstly, keep in mind that perfect placement may vary depending on your AED provider, so always check your manual or guide provided. 

The American Heart Association generally recommends following either an anterior-lateral or anterior-posterior placement when using AED pads. The advice is no different for an elderly man or a pregnant woman! 

Here’s what each placement involves: 

• Anterior-lateral placement: Place one AED pad on the upper right side of the chest or torso, just above the nipple and under the collarbone. The other pad should be placed on the lower left side of the chest, under a woman’s breast or a man’s pectoral muscle.
• Anterior-posterior placement: Place the first pad on the front of the body between the left nipple of a man or under the left breast of a woman, and the chest’s midline. You should then place the other pad on the patient’s back, to the left of their spine, around level with the heart. 

Remember, you can still place AED pads on patients with pacemakers – who are most likely to experience an SCA episode.

Pad Placement for Children and Infants

The way to effectively place AED pads on children and infants is slightly different. This is largely because younger people need less of an AED shock due to their higher energy levels. To start, you must use specific pediatric pads designed for use with children.

 According to AED guidelines, a child is someone who is less than 55 lbs in weight or younger than eight years old. 

Typically, the AHA suggests placing AED pads through the front-back or anteroposterior positioning mentioned above. One should go on the chest wall, or front of the chest, and the other should go on their back. 

This is largely because, with smaller bodies, there's more of a risk of you overlapping pads on the front of a child's chest. 

Many of our clients recommend following the anteroposterior method just to be careful regardless of a child's age – after all, there's often no way to weigh them during an SCA! 

You should place the front pad on a child’s cardiac apex, just between their left nipple and the midline. The posterior pad, meanwhile, should go roughly between the shoulder blades and parallel to the heart. 

Pads used to defibrillate a child should ideally be as large as you can find while still offering a gap of around 3 cm. 

If you're worried about where to place AED pads safely and effectively, most providers have graphics that show you exactly where you should position them.

Preparing the Patient for AED Use

As mentioned, every second counts when it comes to supporting cardiac victims. Here are some quick preparation steps our customers have shared with us to help you use a defib machine effectively.

Exposing the Chest

Always make sure that a patient’s chest is fully exposed before placing pads. They need to apply to bare skin so that there is no resistance with the current supplied by the AED. That can mean shaving away chest hair and removing jewellery, nipple piercings, and necklaces, for example.

Assessing the Patient's Condition

Always check if a patient is breathing normally and has a regular pulse. If either are irregular, you can use an AED – but if they are not breathing or have no pulse, you should call emergency services as soon as possible and begin CPR.

Cleaning and Drying the Skin

If your patient has any dirt, debris, fluid, or water otherwise on their chest that could impede the AED pads, make sure to clean them carefully and to dry the skin fully. You need to make sure that the pads adhere fully to your patient’s bare skin. 

Be Prepared to Do CPR

Remember, you may still need to do CPR if your AED still advises of irregular heart rhythms after delivering an electrical current. You may need to stop using the shock button, for instance, if you use a semi-auto machine.

 Follow chest compression rhythms as outlined in basic first aid policy and follow guidelines set out by the AED.

Summary of Best Practices

It’s vital to place AED defibrillators directly onto bare skin where electrical shocks can stimulate the heart without interfering with other internal organs. Failure to do so could result in slower recovery, or worse, even death.

 Remember, the best AED kits and providers ensure you have plenty of guidance when it comes to positioning pads on adult and child patients – but it’s always worth keeping the above advice in mind.

 Remember, the chance of survival from a cardiac arrest increases by up to 70% when using AEDs effectively!

FAQ

Can I Reuse AED Pads?

No, you cannot reuse AED pads, they are for single patient use only. Therefore, you should always have a fresh supply available.

Where can I buy new or replacement AED pads?

You can buy new and replacement AED pads through specialist medical suppliers online, such as MedShop. Our repeat customers rely on our broad range of pads and AED supplies to ensure their first aid kits are always replete.

Can adult AED pads be used on children?

It’s inadvisable to use adult AED pads on children who weigh less than 55 pounds, or who are younger than eight years old. The main reason for this is that large pads could overlap on small chests.

What should I do if the patient's chest is wet?

Make sure to dry the patient’s chest carefully with a clean towel so that AED pads can safely adhere.

What should I do if the AED pads overlap on a small chest?

Reposition the AED pads so one is on their back, and the other is on the victim’s chest. This is called the anterior-posterior placement, and there are more details in our guide above.