Does it matter if I apply my AED pads in the anterior-lateral placement or the anterior-posterior placement during a cardiac arrest?

When placing AED pads, first responders may choose either the anterior-lateral or anterior-posterior pad position. The SWCPM is not prescriptive regarding which orientation firefighters or police officers must use. Instead, we support selecting the pad placement that is most appropriate based on the clinical circumstances and patient presentation at the time of care.

First responders may encounter situations that make it difficult to use a specific AED pad orientation. Examples include:

• Trauma or injury to the area where a pad would normally be placed
• Smaller body size, such as in children or smaller adults
• Patient positioning or environmental constraints, such as when a patient is trapped in a confined space with limited ability to be moved

These factors may affect the responder’s ability to achieve proper pad adherence and may require modifications to the resuscitation approach. Both police officers and firefighters should assess the circumstances of each cardiac arrest and determine which pad orientation is most appropriate for the patient’s presentation at the time of the event.