What to do if you’re alone with someone who needs a defibrillator: Busting the myths around defibrillator use

Being on the scene when someone experiences sudden cardiac arrest is a highly stressful situation. You need to act quickly to save the person’s life and, whether you’re trained or untrained, knowing exactly what to do in that moment can feel extremely difficult.

It can happen without warning. Someone collapses, they’re not breathing normally, and you’re the only person there. In that moment, many people panic and the first questions they ask are:

• Should I leave them to fetch a defibrillator?
• Can I kill someone by using an AED incorrectly?
• What if I do something wrong?

These questions are common, and busting the myths around defibrillator use is vital in spreading awareness of the importance of acting quickly and knowing exactly what to do.

In this blog, we’ll explain exactly what you should do if you’re alone with someone who needs a defibrillator.

The quick answer is no, you should not leave someone who needs a defibrillator

Do not leave the patient or stop CPR if you’re alone with them. Call 999 and, if you can, send someone else to find the defibrillator. If you’re already on the phone to the emergency services, they’ll be able to tell you exactly where your nearest defib is. If no one else is around, call 999, put the phone on speaker and they will guide you through the next steps until help arrives.

What should you do when you're alone with someone experiencing sudden cardiac arrest? 

Now you know what to do when you’re with someone, and whether you should leave to get a defibrillator or not, let’s have a look at exactly what you should do if you’re on your own with someone who is suffering sudden cardiac arrest.

Step one: Call 999 immediately 

As soon as the emergency occurs, always call 999 first. Put the phone on loudspeaker so you can help the patient at the same time as speaking to the operator. Shout for help to see if you can attract the attention of someone else to help you.

The emergency call handler will:

• Ask you about the patient and confirm whether they are in cardiac arrest
• Talk you through CPR step by step
• Tell you if a defibrillator is nearby (if someone else arrives at the scene, you can send them to get it while you perform CPR)
• Dispatch paramedics immediately

Even if no one else is on the scene, you’re never completely alone because the emergency services will be with you all the way.

Step two: Start CPR

The most important thing you can do while waiting for a defibrillator or an ambulance to arrive is start CPR. Every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces the person’s chance of survival by around 10%. Even if a defibrillator isn’t available on the scene, CPR will keep oxygen circulating until a defibrillator or paramedics arrive.

The emergency services call handler will talk you through CPR step by step, so you don’t need to remember the below steps exactly.

• Place your hands in the centre of the patient’s chest then push hard and fast at a rate of 100-120 beats per minute (think of the beat of Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees).
• Aim for a depth of 5-6cm on each compression. After 30 compressions, two rescue breaths should ideally be given. If you’re unable to do this, continuing with compressions is still lifesaving.
• Continue with CPR until emergency services arrive, a defibrillator arrives, the person shows signs of life, or you are too tired to continue and someone else is available to take over for a while.

Step three: Should you leave to get a defibrillator?

When you’re trying to save someone’s life, are waiting for help and want to act quickly, you might want to stop CPR to quickly grab a defibrillator, but this isn’t always the right thing to do.

If you’re somewhere where you know exactly where the AED is and it’s close by, it might be worth quickly grabbing it. Ideally, you need to shout for help and someone else can retrieve it for you while you treat the patient.

However, if you’re completely alone with no help around, it is advised that if the AED is not immediately accessible (within a room or two away), you should continue with CPR until the ambulance arrives.

Golden rule: Never leave someone alone in cardiac arrest for more than a minute to fetch a defibrillator. Your hands keeping blood flowing provide their biggest chance of survival in those first few minutes.

Step four: Use the defibrillator as soon as it arrives 

If you’ve managed to attract help from someone who will go and fetch an AED (automatic external defibrillator), start using it as soon as it arrives.

Modern AEDs are designed to be simple and safe for both trained and untrained users, and will tell you whether or not a shock is required and deliver the shock for you.

Once it arrives:

• Switch it on
• Follow the provided diagrams to attach the pads to the patient’s bare chest
• The AED will analyse the heart rhythm and tell you what to do next
• All you’ll need to do is press the button when it tells you to deliver the shock

Remember that you can only deliver a shock if it’s needed. The machine makes the decision, not you, so there’s no risk of doing harm. You can find out more about this in our blog: Can you kill someone by using an AED incorrectly? Busting the myths around defibrillator use.

Step five: Emergency services should arrive

You will be following the steps above while the ambulance is on its way. You’ve now done the work to keep the patient alive and increase their chances of survival, so now it’s time for the paramedics to take over and take the patient to hospital.

Let's bust some of the other big defibrillator myths 

Myth 1: I'm not trained so I can't use a defibrillator

AEDs are designed to be used by anyone. You don’t need any medical training because the device provides step by step instructions for use, and will decide and deliver a shock if one is needed.

Myth 2: I can hurt someone by using a defibrillator in the wrong way 

The AED will not deliver a shock unless it’s needed, so there is no way you can do more harm.

Myth 3: It's better to go and get a defibrillator straight away rather than do CPR 

This isn’t necessarily true if you’re alone with the patient. CPR buys the patient vital time. Without it, the brain and organs are starved of oxygen and survival chances decrease rapidly.

Myth 4: You can't use a defibrillator on children 

AEDs can be used on children. Most devices come with special paediatric pads or a switch that lowers the shock level to make it suitable for children.

Myth 5: I'll get in trouble if I do something wrong 

Many people are worried that they can get into trouble or be sued if they do something wrong. In the UK, Good Samaritan protections cover bystanders who attempt to help in an emergency. You cannot be sued for trying to save a life.

Making every second count 

Defibrillators save lives, but only if first responders act quickly enough. Remember: CPR comes first and then defibrillation when one is available. Together they provide the best chance of survival.

At Defib4Life, we’re passionate about spreading awareness of defibrillators, ensuring people know how to use them with confidence and making them more accessible. By busting the myths around defibrillator use, we can help to ensure that you feel confident to act when it matters most.

Want to make sure your workplace or community is rescue ready? Get in touch with our team for buying defibrillators as well as advice on the right device for your needs, placement, training and maintenance support.