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
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!
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? :)
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.
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...
Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN
1 Article; 2,816 Posts
I still love Scrubs, though.