Under what condition is it safe to use an AED if the patient is submerged in water?

Using an AED safely in a situation where the patient is submerged in water requires careful consideration of the environment and the safety of both the patient and the rescuer. It is critical to remove the patient from the water before using the AED. This is because water can conduct electricity, increasing the risk of shock to the rescuer and potentially affecting the efficacy of the shock delivered by the AED.

When the patient is in water, there is a significant risk that the pads could not create a proper electrical connection due to the presence of water between the pads and the patient’s skin. Additionally, if the AED operates while the patient is still in water, the current could spread through the water and possibly put bystanders or the rescuer at risk. Therefore, ensuring the patient is completely out of the water is the safest option to provide effective defibrillation and maintain electrical safety.

While it may seem reasonable to use the AED immediately or to apply pads without drying the chest, those actions can compromise the effectiveness of the shock and increase the risk of conducting electricity inappropriately. Hence, removing the patient from the water is essential for safe AED deployment.