Basic Life Support (BLS) Practice Exam

What is a critical consideration when using an AED on a pregnant patient?

1. Check the fetal heartbeat first

2. AED pads should be placed under the patient

3. AED pads must not include breast tissue

4. Use manual defibrillation instead

The correct answer is: AED pads must not include breast tissue

When using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) on a pregnant patient, it is crucial to ensure that the AED pads are placed correctly to avoid unintended injury. The correct answer highlights the importance of positioning the AED pads in a way that does not include breast tissue. This is vital because proper pad placement facilitates effective shock delivery to the heart while minimizing the risk of harm to both the mother and the fetus. Placing the pads in a manner that avoids breast tissue helps ensure that the electrical current travels through the heart and not through any surrounding tissues that could be affected by the shock. Additionally, it is essential to use the adult-sized pads as typical placement locations are still valid; applying them to the right upper chest and left lower ribcage helps maximize safety and effectiveness. While other considerations may seem relevant, such as checking fetal heart tones, these are not the priority actions in the immediate situation where cardiac arrest is present, nor is using manual defibrillation preferable when an AED is available. These aspects are secondary to ensuring the immediate effectiveness and safety of the defibrillation itself. The priority during a cardiac emergency is to restore effective heart rhythm as quickly as possible, which is achieved by appropriately using the AED while keeping safety considerations in mind.