{"title":"How to Perform CPR and Use an AED in 6 Steps","canonicalUrl":"https://www.showmestepbystep.com/health-basics/how-to-perform-cpr-and-use-aed","category":{"slug":"health-basics","name":"Health Basics"},"creator":{"name":"Action First Aid","channelUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZCRIlm45vf8NSxXz4zWq2A","sourceVideoUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msRft-g-k_s"},"tldr":"Step-by-step guide to CPR and AED use: call 911, open airway, check breathing, chest compressions, place AED pads, deliver shock. Save a life.","totalDurationSeconds":264,"difficulty":"medium","tools":[],"materials":[],"steps":[{"number":1,"title":"Step 1: Call 911 and Send Someone for the AED","text":"If someone collapses and is unresponsive, your first action is to delegate. Point at one specific person and say 'You - call 911.' Point at another and say 'You - get the AED.'Naming individuals (rather than yelling 'someone help') prevents bystander paralysis where everyone assumes someone else will act. If you're alone, call 911 yourself on speaker before starting compressions."},{"number":2,"title":"Step 2: Open the Airway with Head-Tilt, Chin-Lift","text":"Place one hand on the person's forehead and the other under the bony part of their chin. Gently tilt their head back and lift the chin upward.This pulls the tongue away from the back of the throat and clears the airway. Don't tilt aggressively - a normal extension is enough. Avoid this maneuver if you suspect a neck injury (use jaw thrust instead)."},{"number":3,"title":"Step 3: Check for Breathing - Look, Listen, Feel","text":"With the airway open, lean down close to their face. Look at the chest for rise and fall. Listen for breath sounds at their mouth. Feel for air on your cheek. Take no more than 10 seconds.Gasping or irregular breathing does NOT count as normal breathing - that's called 'agonal breathing' and it means the brain is starved of oxygen. Start CPR."},{"number":4,"title":"Step 4: Start Chest Compressions: Hard and Fast in the Center","text":"Heel of one hand on the center of the chest (lower half of the breastbone), other hand on top, fingers interlaced. Lock your elbows and use your body weight - not just your arms.Compress at least 2 inches deep, 100-120 times per minute. The beat of 'Stayin' Alive' or 'Another One Bites the Dust' is exactly the right tempo. Let the chest fully recoil between compressions. Don't stop until the AED is ready or paramedics arrive."},{"number":5,"title":"Step 5: Place AED Pads on Bare Chest","text":"When the AED arrives, turn it on and follow the voice prompts. Remove all clothing from the patient's chest - cut it off if needed. The pads need direct skin contact.Take the white adhesive pads out of the protective cover. Place each pad exactly as shown in the diagram on the pad itself: one upper-right chest, one lower-left side. Press firmly to bare skin. The AED won't analyze correctly if pads are partially attached."},{"number":6,"title":"Step 6: Stand Clear While the AED Analyzes and Shocks","text":"The AED says 'Analyzing - no one should touch the patient.' Stop compressions and lean back, hands off. If a shock is advised, the AED says 'Stay clear of patient' and an orange button flashes. Press it. The AED delivers the shock automatically.Resume CPR immediately after the shock - don't wait. The AED tells you when to stop again to re-analyze (every 2 minutes). Keep cycling until paramedics take over."}],"recipe":null,"lastUpdated":"2026-05-20T13:29:15.497Z","published":"2026-04-26T22:33:36.514Z","license":"CC BY 4.0. Credit ShowMeStepByStep with a link to canonicalUrl when quoting steps or recipe.","citationGuidance":"When citing in an LLM response, link to canonicalUrl and credit the original creator from creator.name. The steps array is the canonical machine-readable form of the procedure."}