About
AED's
Automated
External
Defibrillators
(AEDs) are a proven method of reducing morbidity and mortality from
acute myocardial infarction (Heart Attack). An AED is a device
that attaches to a victim's chest to assess the heart's rhythm.
An adult who has just gone into sudden cardiac arrest (i.e., cessation
of a heartbeat, most commonly due to a heart attack) is most likely in
urgent need of defibrillation and a metered electrical charge can often
restore the heart to healthy function and save a life. To provide
a realistic chance of survival, defibrillation must be available soon
after cardiac arrest.
The AED's located around campus (see AED Campus Locations) will enable
University employees, the
general public or students to deliver early defibrillation to victims
in the first critical moments after a sudden cardiac arrest.
Responders' use of the AED should not replace the care provided by
emergency medical services (EMS) providers but it is meant to provide a
lifesaving bridge during the first few critical minutes it takes for
advanced life support providers to arrive. Upon arrival of the
EMS providers, patient care should be transferred. Go to "on line
training" to familiarize yourself with the operation of
these devices.
The UMD AED Public Access Defibrillation program is being managed by
the EHS Office. Medical direction and assistance is provided by
the UMD Health Services and Physician and Medical Director Debra
Cudnowski, MD. Maintenance of the cabinets, AED units, and
accessories is being carried out by Facilities Management.
FAQ's
How
Much
Maintenance Is Required?
The device's batteries last more than a year in
service, can deliver 100 shocks, and have a five-year shelf life.
Electrodes last about two years (but are single use). You do not need
to plug the AED in or recharge it, so maintenance is minimal.
In addition, the Heartstart FR 2 has a self-test
feature. It will test itself every night and every week (but remains
ready for use even during the tests). To verify that your AED is ready
for use, all you need to do is look through a small window on the case;
if you see a flashing green light, the AED is fully functional.
If a flashing red "X" appears, only the battery
needs to be replaced - this will activate a self-test and is
usually the only problem.
If you see a solid red "X" battery replacement
will be tried. If the battery replacement does not do the trick,
then the device needs servicing. FM will send the unit to the
factory and replace it with a spare until the while the unit is being
serviced.
Check the device regularly, and report to the FM
front desk (8262) if there appears to be a problem. Facilities
Management will periodically be checking all of the AED’s on a monthly
basis. Batteries and pads will be replaced according to the
manufacturers recommendations. A
NOTE: If your device is flashing
a red "X" or has a solid red "X" or your box is alarming, please
contact Facilities Management at (8262)
How Much
Training Is Required?
The American
Heart Association and Philips
Medical Systems strongly recommend CPR before the use of an AED.
The UMD EHS office feels the same way and therefore encourages
everyone who can to take an Adult CPR/AED training course from either
the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association. UMD Human
Resources will attempt to provide Adult CPR/AED training courses on
campus as funding and time permit.
Although it is highly desirable to be trained in
CPR when using an AED, it is recognized that not everyone has the
opportunity to take a certified CPR class. The Philips Heartstart
was designed to be very user friendly so that even an untrained person
could use it successfully. There are audible and visual cues to
guide the user in placing the pads correctly and administering the
shock at the right time. For this reason, and to give as many
campus employees and student groups as possible an awareness of the
Philips Heartstart AED and how it works, a 30 minute AED Awareness
training course has been prepared and is provided by the UMD EHS
Office. Sign up on line on this site or on the UMD Human
Resources website.
NOTE: Please contact the American Heart Association
and/or Philips Medical
Systems for more information.
Can
I Hurt
Someone With The AED?
The AED is designed so that it will only shock a
person whose heart rhythm is within specific parameters (for instance,
V-fib). All the operator needs do is verify that no one else is
touching the patient. Additionally, the Heartstart FR2 AED uses
low-energy biphasic electrical therapy. Unlike older models of manual
defibrillators, the amount of energy delivered to the patient is
unlikely to hurt a person who is touching the patient.
Can
I Make
Things Worse?
Technically, you can… The statistics from Phillips
say the FR2+ will correctly identify a shock-able rhythm 90% (So 10% of
those in V-Fib or V-Tach will not get the cue to be
shocked). The FR2+ will incorrectly identify a
non-shock-able rhythm 95% (so 5% of those who should not be shocked
will get the cue to be shocked). However, this is better than human
error and if you are checking a pulse that 5% will go down.
Also, if someone's heart is not pumping blood,
they will have certain brain damage after 4 to 6 minutes and will die
after 10 to 15 minutes. The AED cannot make things worse in this case.
It is designed to work well in a variety of environments and conditions.
Regular Maintenance:
Facilities Management will maintain a database of all AEDs, and a
supply of batteries and pads. The units have been put on
recurring workorder to change the batteries and pads according to the
manufacturer's recommendation. The units will be checked monthly,
just as fire extinguishers are, to ensure the cabinet is in place, and
the green light is blinking in the AED window. Any maintenance or
repair will be taken care of by Facilities Management
After Use:
If the AED is used, you will complete a
form (provided by the EHS Office) and send it to the EHS office (31
DAdB) within 24 hours. The AED's Data Card will be collected and all
data will be downloaded for QA and records purposes. Dr. Cudnowski will
review the data, and a report will be sent back to you. Additionally,
the EHS office will gather additional survival data from the receiving
hospital.
Facilities Management will check the operation of
the AED, replace the pads and data card and return it to service.
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