How long should it take to train people in basic life support and the use of an AED?
For someone with no prior experience or knowledge it is likely that a minimum of four hours’ training will be required to cover the core competencies, assuming an optimum ratio of instructors to students and mannequins to students. Because it is often necessary to include additional training to cover the requirements of particular groups of trainees, courses of up to eight hours’ duration may be needed (source: Resuscitation Council (UK)). The Department of Health developed an initial four-hour training specification for the defibrillator programme. Personnel who undertake the training must achieve crucial competencies in basic life support and the use of an AED.
