title: [Use of a defibrillator].
abstract: A manual external defibrillator is a portable electronic device found on every hospital floor or primary health care center, etc. This device is used to reverse severe cardiac arrhythmias by means of defibrillation. We must consider this protocol to not only be a doctor's procedure, therefore, nurses ought to know its indications, defibrillation technique and an adequate use of a defibrillator since rapid use of one, if necessary increases a patient's survival chances. The objective of this article is to serve as a practical guide which helps professionals dominate this technique.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Virgen del Camino, Pamplona, Navarra.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arilla Iturri
authors.forename: Arantxa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lacalle Segura
authors.forename: Ma Angeles
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Artázcoz Artázcoz
mesh_terms: D047548:Defibrillators; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans