CPR Defibrillators Info
The How to of Defibrillators
Archive for October, 2010
More and more stories are published in the news regarding the importance of defibrillators in saving lives. Nurses get Cardio-Pulmonary Respiration training (CPR) along with Defibrillator training yearly to keep their skills up and react quickly to sudden cardiac events.
Defibrillators have become more and more common in businesses, schools, and homes. Public and personal safety is now a priority in a “personal” way. Look around you for the AED sign or AED cabinet. Check with your gym,library,bank, hotel, or other public gathering places to see if they have your safety as a #1 priority. If the don’t have the equipment, suggest that getting it would inspire confidence in their business.
I have every confidence in my physical therapy department. They display their device on the wall with a very prominent AED sign in their waiting room. Other businesses who employ a large amount of personnel or do business with the public would do well to follow their example. Sudden cardiac arrest can occur at any time in any age group. Saving a life is the most important thing anyone can accomplish in a lifetime.
Defibrillators give us a second chance at life and save lives. They are so easy to use. Push the power button and follow directions.
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Did you ever wonder how many things in the world are good and bad at the same time? Flowers, can be beautiful, fragrant, or uplifting the spirits, can also produce deadly toxins or lifesaving medications. Cars protect and take us to our destinations however, in certain circumstances, such as speeding or in inclement weather can kill us. Electricity can kill with high voltage by unprotected wires. It can also save lives with voltage through an AED (automated external defibrillator).
Many things are good and bad for us. AEDs have to be one of the most successful devices ever invented. They can bring us back from death if used quickly after a cardiac arrest. Time is a big factor in our survival. Not all defibrillations are successful and I attibute that to the individual’s previous health status. A failing heart might not be able to be “ jump started” but an irregular beat or a temporary cessation might be reactivated!
Our bodies also run on electrical charges. They tell our heart, which is divided into four chambers, when to beat. This is the positive force working for us. Damaged hearts could run down like a battery and fail to recharge.
Your body is a unique entity. It works with checks and balances , a pump, and a central nervous system. Take care of it and it will take care of you!
Remember the movie Frankenstein? How he was brought to life by electricity? Well the past theory is now proven fact. The movie did have flaws but you get the picture. A cardiac arrest victim can be revived by an electrical shock if it is done quicky after an arrest and if medically the patient’s heart co-operates. Not all defibrillations are successful but more are than not.
Fifty years ago defibrillation was introduced in hospitals and doctors offices.As time went by Paramedics and EMTs were allowed to perform defibrillation with automated external defibrillators(AEDs). Now defibrillators are in homes for the possiblity of cardiac events occurring. Trained rescuers and samaritans may provide defibrillation in emergencies. Technology has come a long way. Hands on Cardiopulmpnary Resuscitation (CPR) can be taught by the defibrillator with audio instructions ( and most of them do have it). Fear is taken away by the calm voice talking you through the steps of CPR and defibrillation. Amazing how advanced we have become and how an idea from the past has become a reality.
Donations to various organizations like: cancer research, march of dimes, salvation army and other worthwhile causes are wonderful and tax writeoffs, but do we know how our money is spent? Is it to the management or to the cause itself? Wouldn’t you like to donate a medical device to a school, town, or business and know that it will be used to save a life?
I have donated my share to many causes and now am retired on a fixed income. The pleas from many many hospitals,causes, and civic organizations overwhelm me and even if I was a millionaire I could not fund them all. Therefore I am resolved to make a difference in my town and collect money to maintain a high quality EMS system.
First I will assess the needs and where they are….public buildings with lots of access of individuals or groups, banks, schools, school functions or senior centers. Next, try to get public support since nickels and dimes add up to dollars and Automated External Defibrillators ( AEDs) are not cheap.
The important thing is that if an AED gets used it gives a person a second chance at life and in a small way I will have had an opportunity to have helped along with other townspeople.
To me this is a worthwhile goal.
Do I Need the same defibrillator used by the EMS in my town?
Friday, October 15, 2010
posted by Pat 10:51 AM
The EMS in a town or city like to have the townspeople use the same defibrillators. Why? Because they can connect your defibrillator leads to theirs without replacing the pads on the victim. This saves them time and money. Some rescuers will replace pads anyway. Its as if they don’t think we are capable of making a correct placement with the pads. If I have offended any professional rescuers I apologize, however, I had a rescuer laugh in my prescence to a colleague about the fact that pads are frequently replaced by them. You should know that many companies have connectors to adapt different defibrillators’ accessories to another. Therefore it is not necessary to buy a specific brand simply because your town has that kind.
Buy the best one for you! Check to see if your favorite has a connector for the town’s choice of defibrillator. Don’t be misled into getting a particular brand “because the fire department uses that one”. It might not have been chosen for quality but for a cheaper price or “perks.”
We sell Zoll, Philips, and Defibtech which we consider high quality and reliable for any occasion.I have a hard time choosing between them for my preference because they offer such unique differences. Zoll has pictures and oral instructions. Philips can convert the FRx from adult to pediatric use by the infant/child key. This allows you to use the adult pads as a child pad. Defibtech offers simplicity,ruggedness, and reliability. All defibrillators offer audio instruction.
Don’t forget to do your homework. Check all the brands to see your options and work the best deal. Remember the most expensive is not always the best and neither is the cheapest. I know we all want a bargain but if you need to replace batteries, pads and other accessories then it is a bad bargain. Be smart. Go with a reputable company and check your products track record.