AED Training without CPR Class

ukstudent · Oct 12, 2009

Send them to a BLS class and make sure it includes the use of the AED. Yes it it made for use of the layman. As in they don't have to understand how to read cardiac rhythms, the machine will do it for them. However, they still need to know how to do chest compressions and breathing.

What do you think your non BLS staff members are going to do if it is needed? Just stand around shocking the pt repeatedly as no oxygen is being circulated! AED's work in conjunction with BLS, not on it's own.

The other thing is are you licensed to teach how to use the AED. Things have a way of going wrong. What would happen to you if one of these staff members that you taught how to use the AED, uses it and has a problem, such as electrical burns, improper placement etc. Remember they are all over the place now, and the might use one not just in the school but outside in say a airport, hotel etc. When asked what class did she/he attend would then point to you. Protect yourself, get them to go to a class and get certified.

RedCell · Oct 13, 2009

i am a school nurse. we have gotten an aed machine in my school. i have 3 staff members who are trained in cpr. can i train the other staff members to use the aed, even though they are not cpr certified ? i thought that since "anyone" can use the aed, that it would be beneficial for all staff to know how to use it.
what are your thoughts on this ? thanks for your input !
praiser :heartbeat

i think familiarizing your staff with the aed is a good thing. laymen are protected under the good samaritan laws even when using a "high tech" device such as an aed. due to this fact, you would not have to be worried about some scumbag lawyer coming after you for teaching the janitor how to use one. even though the things are idiot proof, meaning that they show pictures and talk you through the basic steps of resuscitation, it is always good to give people an idea of what they are getting into when placed in an unfamiliar and somewhat stressful situation. the comment about, "standing around shocking the pt repeatedly with no oxygen being circulated" was not well thought out. the machine will not deliver a shock if it is not indicated. if it does deliver a shock, i sure as hell would not want to be the one delivering mouth to corpse ventilation. that is why the thing says, "stand back, shock being delivered". this statement, even to someone uneducated in this kind of scenario will mean to get the hell away from the dude. besides, at best bystander ventilation only delivers a fio2 of .16 to a dead guy. this kind of oxygenation is not enough to prevent anaerobic metabolism, especially in a dude with a probable obstructed coronary vessel. early defibrillation is the only salvation, and knowing how to place an aed properly at a witnessed arrest is the first step. personally, if it were me, i wouldn't care if the person placing the aed was a trained professional or even a layperson such as michael jackson's personal cardiologist (assuming he wasn't using any jackson juice). those things were designed to be used by those ignorant to basic healthcare delivery. showing someone what to expect creates less confusion in the event that an aed actually needs to be utilized.