If an AED prompts a "no shock advised," what should you do?

When an AED indicates "no shock advised," it means that the heart rhythm detected does not require defibrillation, which is often the case when the heart is not in a shockable rhythm, such as asystole or pulseless electrical activity. In this scenario, the correct course of action is to continue CPR and follow the prompts provided by the AED.

Continuing CPR is crucial because it helps maintain blood circulation to vital organs, especially the brain, while awaiting advanced medical help. The AED will continue to analyze the heart rhythm periodically, and it may prompt further actions as necessary. By following this course, you are ensuring that the patient receives ongoing support until emergency services arrive or the situation changes, potentially leading to a shockable rhythm.

Other options would not be appropriate as stopping actions would leave the patient without necessary intervention, calling emergency services again is generally not needed at this point if they have already been called, and changing the pads and retrying without the AED prompting you would not align with the guidance of the device intended to assess the need for shock.