> Yes. The most effective time for defib use is in the first 5 minutes. That's not to say you should not have a go after that time
Totally! After my experience I booked myself on a defibrillator training course, and looking back now, the main thing I remember from the course was the instructor's key learning point that you should get the defib out as soon as you can and let it take over. It pretty much can't make things worse than doing nothing.
Exactly. Hollywood always gets it wrong--shocking a non-beating heart does nothing (in fact, the whole purpose of the machine is to *stop* the heart!). The machines look for improper, useless beating and will not fire unless they see it. It's still possible to get the pads sufficiently wrong that the shock is wasted, but there's no way to shock someone who doesn't need it.
For a non-beating heart the only treatment is CPR until the docs can deal with whatever caused it not to beat in the first place.
Totally! After my experience I booked myself on a defibrillator training course, and looking back now, the main thing I remember from the course was the instructor's key learning point that you should get the defib out as soon as you can and let it take over. It pretty much can't make things worse than doing nothing.
[Edit - that and CPR, it goes without saying]