AED's Available in Assisted Living Community?

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Specializes in Emergency, LTC.

I just completed my ACLS class today and had to go to work immediately after. I work in an Assisted Living Community that has about 200 apartments, 1/2 at least are Independent Residents.

I was all pumped up and feeling great after passing the class and getting my card and when I got there, I asked the front desk about if we had any AED's in the building.

(I'm a little ashamed I've been working there for a while now and really didn't think about it. I guess I assumed we had one?)

Well the front desk directed me to the maintenance manager and he said we didn't have any! I was totally dumbfounded!! I proceeded to speak to the Executive Director in her office and she really had no excuse why we shouldn't have one.

So I'm going to attend a monthly safety meeting on Thursday and plead my case as to why we should have at least ONE AED available to our senior community. This will make its way to corporate and hopefully I'm convincing enough...

What are your thoughts? Obviously its not mandated by law, but I mean jeez, if McDonalds has AED's why shouldn't a community who primarily serves seniors (60+) have them???

-emerjensee

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I worked in an AL facility that did have AEDs. One in the front part where the independent seniors lived and one in the AL section. I am really surprised that they don't have any where you are. You'd think that it would be a issue that state would bring up during an inspection.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

One thing to remember is that Assisted-Living Communities might be considered a medical facility. That might cause AED's to be considered a medical device that requires a physician's order to use. In the normal community, AED's are considered Good Samaritan devices, and the lay public can use them with the same legal liability that they would suffer when performing CPR when indicated. I personally am a big fan of the AED, they work exactly when they are supposed to because of the computer programs that distinguish very quickly shockable rhythms. And they work amazingly well for what they're supposed to.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

You put an AED in a healthcare facility, and there will be an expectation that staff will be trained to use it. So there is that consideration.

Also, there has to be easy, central accessability. Where will it be set up???

In an emergency, who brings it to the scene?

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