Final answer:
AED pads need to be placed one inch away from jewelry or pacemakers because metals can interfere with the electrical signals, potentially rendering the AED ineffective. Placing the AED pads directly on the skin ensures that the electrical shock is delivered properly to the heart.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reason why AED pads need to be placed one inch away from jewelry or pacemakers is because the metals in jewelry or pacemakers can interfere with the electrical signals and the delivery of the shock. Placing the AED pads too close to metal objects can cause the electricity to travel through the metal instead of the heart, potentially rendering the AED ineffective in treating the cardiac arrhythmia. The AED pads need to be placed directly on the skin, without any barriers or metal objects in between, to ensure that the electrical shock is delivered properly to the heart.