Defibrillation question

Nurses General Nursing

Published

As seen in a commercial for an upcoming TV show episode ---- hospital scene, pt laying (lying?) flat in bed/stretcher, side rails down (OK). Male MD/nurse (?) with defib paddles in hand, paddles positioned over sternum/left lateral chest (OK-ish), ready to fire.

Here's the kicker --- pt in a hospital gown, no gel pads; therefore the defib firing attempt would be thru the gown!!??!!??

Now it's been eons & eons since I last used a defibrillator, but don't you still have to make direct contact to the gel pads on the bare chest? Not thru fabric? Uhhhh - i'is there something new out there in defibrillator land? Or did I just see another DUMB incorrect

over-dramatized made-specially-just-for-TV spectacle?

We used chest gel pads for AED training, so wouldn't this be applicable to general defibrillation also. I love catching medical bloopers on TV, so this just jumped out at me!

So... did I catch a blooper? Thanks.

I still love Scrubs, though.

I still love Scrubs, though.
No one is supposed to take anything on Srubs as serious. It's seriously ridiculous. Fun to watch, b/c in a weird way, the absurdity makes sense.
Specializes in Med Surg.

I used to like House. Then they had a moment when a guy threw a clot into his retinal artery. One of the 'team' said "we need to start warfarin stat to break up the clot." Later in the day, clot was gone. That's when I began to think the 'medical consultant' was just a fictional name they put in the closing credits.

They also shock asystole regularly on House.

The best thing I saw on TV: on a sci-fi Saturday night movie, a diabetic person was hypoglycemic. Turns out the cure for that is insulin. Who knew? :)

Specializes in NRP, FP-C, CCP-C, CCEMT-P.

As a 25 year BCLS/ACLS Instructor I feel it's important to advise you that using 1 set of pads to remove hair and then placing a second set on the hairless area is a myth.

A few years ago (2007 or so?) it was tested on various volunteers (Paramedic students, yes, we do love them!) and it was found that a very minimal amount of hair was removed, and that a razor should be used.

Do with this information what you wish, but I highy recommend that you have a razor available and not depend on "waxing" the pt. to work.

That's why I always carry just in case I have to defibrillate someone!

Specializes in ICU.
That's why I always carry attachment.php?attachmentid=11870just in case I have to defibrillate someone!

LOL!!

Specializes in CICU.
As a 25 year BCLS/ACLS Instructor I feel it's important to advise you that using 1 set of pads to remove hair and then placing a second set on the hairless area is a myth.

A few years ago (2007 or so?) it was tested on various volunteers (Paramedic students, yes, we do love them!) and it was found that a very minimal amount of hair was removed, and that a razor should be used.

Do with this information what you wish, but I highy recommend that you have a razor available and not depend on "waxing" the pt. to work.

For the love of Pete, I hope those students got extra credt... At least...

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