Life Safety Training AED Program elements:

• Medical Oversight
  
• AED implementation and maintenance
  
• Coordination with local EMS Agency
  
• Training
  
  

A word about training: Designed to teach the use of AED’s when responding to a patient who is experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest, prior to the arrival of EMS. The training is designed to meet national medical guidelines for AED use and is designed to meet national and state requirements for AED training.

The American Heart Association believes that as many as 100,000 deaths could be prevented each year through the widespread deployment of defibrillators. Patients who survive Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) have an excellent long-term prognosis 57 percent of the survivors live five years or longer. (www.automatic-external-defibrillators.com)

The goal of every AED program is to deliver defibrillation to a sudden cardiac arrest victim within 3 to 5 minutes of collapse. Some of the best EMS responders have difficulty arriving in the first 3 to 5 minutes when the chance of successful defibrillation is the greatest.

What is an automated external defibrillator (AED)? An AED is a device used in cardiac arrest, or sudden cardiac death, when the heart’s electrical activity is disorganized and there is no effective pumping of blood. The AED is capable of recognizing the heart's electrical activity, and determining if an electric shock is required. If the shock is needed, a voice prompt in the AED is activated, telling the rescuer to push a button to deliver the shock.

What procedure is followed to use the AED? The rescuer looks at the patient and determines there is no sign of effective heart action such as normal breathing, coughing, or movement. The rescuer should ask someone to call 911, and someone else to bring the AED to the patient. The rescuer removes the patient's clothing over the front part of the chest, attaches the AED pads to the patient’s skin, and turns on the machine. The AED has a voice chip that instructs the rescuer what to do, and which button to push on the machine, allowing human control. CPR is performed before the AED arrives at the patient’s side, and after any needed electric shocks, prompted by the AED.

Does AED use save lives? The more quickly needed electric shocks are applied to a victim of sudden death, the more likely the person is to survive. Electric shocks are needed in about one-half of cardiac arrest victims. The best "save" rates have been reported when the electric shock is delivered within 3 minutes of the patient's collapse. This is almost always faster than the emergency system can respond, so AED use by the lay public should save lives. Research shows that AEDs probably have saved lives in casinos, airports, and on aircraft. Whether lives will be saved by more widespread use of AEDs by lay persons in public locations will be answered by more research.

The North American Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) study concluded in 2003. This research compared how many victims of cardiac arrest survived in locations given CPR training and an AED, to locations with CPR training only. Orange County was one of the sites, coordinated by Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center and Orange County Emergency Medical Services. Across North America over several years, there were over 500 cases of presumed cardiac arrest. Survivors were 30 with an AED compared to 15 with CPR only. The overall benefit is likely to be limited, however, since the vast majority of cardiac arrests are in residences, not in public.

Are AEDs safe? These devices are safe. They are programmed to deliver shocks only when the heart rhythm is not effective and the electric shock is definitely required. The device is only applied when a person has collapsed in cardiac arrest and has no effective breathing or coughing, and no movement. An AED should not deliver an electric shock even if applied by mistake to a person who has fainted or had a seizure.

Am I allowed to obtain an AED? California law allows an individual to have this device for use in the home, a work setting, or other location. Rules vary depending on whether the use is for a specific individual, or for a public setting.

Is there liability protection for using this device? Yes, California state law provides liability protection from negligence in the use of the AED. This would cover any ordinary mistakes. The law does not cover gross negligence an extreme or purposeful bad act (see below).

What are the requirements to have an AED? If a physician prescribes the AED for a specific patient, then the physician will establish any requirements such as training, etc.

For AEDs in other settings, the AED must be maintained and regularly checked for readiness at least every 30 days. There must be individuals trained in the use of the AED available for emergencies and a written emergency plan. Please see #12; this reproduces the state regulations.

Orange County Emergency Medical Services should be notified where the device is located.

Information provided by www.ochealthinfo.com