Chain of Survival

You may have heard the term Chain of Survival used, so what exactly is the chain of survival and what does it mean for first aiders?

Put simply, the chain of survival is just a serious of steps (forming a virtual “chain”) which give the best chance of survival from a cardiac arrest (when the heart stops beating).

If all the steps of the chain are followed promptly, then the victim has the best chance of surviving the cardiac arrest.

The ‘links’ of the chain are as follows:

Early recognition and call for help

Early contact should be made to the emergency services after a cardiac arrest is recognised. In addition, serious conditions which may lead to a cardiac arrest (e.g: a heart attack) should be recognised and emergency medical help called for promptly.

Early CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should be commenced immediately after a cardiac arrest has occurred (ie, the patient has stopped breathing). Anyone can perform CPR, and ideally there should be no interruption in CPR before the ambulance arrives.

You will learn more about this in the classroom sessions

Early defibrillation

A defibrillator is an electrical device which delivers a shock to the heart in an attempt to correct any abnormal electrical activity which has caused the cardiac arrest.

In basic terms, a defibrillator attempts to “restart” the heart. Earlier defibrillation is associated with better survival from a cardiac arrest.

Want to know more? Check out our guide to what a defibrillator does -see below

Post resuscitation care

Appropriate advanced post-resuscitation care in a hospital is essential to improving long term survival for the patient. This care should be accessed as quickly as possible after the cardiac arrest has occurred.

What is a Defibrillator? (AED)

So what is a defibrillator? If you’re a fan of medical TV drama then you’ll have a vague idea – pads connected to a persons’ chest, lots of doctors running around shouting “Charging” and “Clear!” before patient jumps into the air as an electric shock flows through them. So what exactly is going on here?

When someone suffers a cardiac arrest, their heart stops beating effectively. There can be many causes of a cardiac arrest including having a heart attack or stroke, losing lots of blood or having a major allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).

It’s important to note that a cardiac arrest is different from a heart attack.

The heart goes into an abnormal rhythm, where all the electrical activity is disorganised and random. A defibrillator delivers an electrical shock to the heart to stop all this disorganised electrical activity, this gives the heart a chance to start in a normal rhythm again.

An AED is an Automated External Defibrillator – a defibrillator which can be used by anyone with no medical training as everything is fully automated.

When should I use an AED?

An AED should be used on any patient who is unresponsive and not breathing normally. You should perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation whilst waiting for the AED to arrive.

Where could I find an AED?

AEDs can be found in many public places including schools, colleges, train stations, shopping centers/malls, and airports.

How do I use an automated external defibrillator?

Simply open the lid of the machine and it will begin speaking to you. Ensure you carefully follow all the instructions the machine gives you.

AED’s are designed to be used by members of the public and lay rescuers with no formal training.

Could an AED shock someone accidentally?

An AED will analyze the rhythm of the heart and won’t deliver a shock if it is not appropriate to do so. Therefore if you connected an AED to a ‘live’ person then it would not deliver a shock.

The machine will give you certain instructions, such as when not to touch the patient. Provided you follow these instructions, AEDs are incredibly safe devices to use and are lifesaving.

You will learn more about this in the classroom sessions

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