Can anyone use a Defibrillator?

Welcome to our latest blog – Can Anyone Use a Defibrillator?

Is it true?  Can anyone use a defibrillator?  We get asked this question a lot in our first aid courses.   Indeed anyone can use a defibrillator and you do not need to have first aid training to use them.   Read on to understand more about defibrillators…

Defibrillators are easy to use and no training is required.  Once the defibrillator is collected from the location the emergency services have specified, you simply switch it on and listen to the instructions.  All defibrillators have the same mechanisms; an on button, shock button, battery window to explain how much battery is remaining, and a diagram of where the pads go.   (Some Defibrillators are automated and may not need to be manually switched on – See video link below).

When someone is having a cardiac arrest, a defibrillator should be used. Until you can access a defibrillator, CPR should be performed.

Call 999, do CPR, and ask someone to locate a defibrillator if you notice someone having a cardiac arrest. If you can’t find one, the emergency operator can provide you advice. Get the defibrillator, switch it on, and keep performing CPR until the machine instructs you to stop.

The importance of defibrillators

Defibrillators are machines that shock or pulse an electric current into the heart to get it beating normally again. They are used to prevent or treat an irregular heartbeat that beats too slowly or too quickly, called arrhythmia. Defibrillators can also restart an abruptly stopped heart.

Various defibrillators operate in various ways. AEDs, which are increasingly widely available in public areas, are used to save the lives of persons who are having cardiac arrest. These tools are accessible to even inexperienced spectators in an emergency.

How do AEDs work?

A portable, battery-powered AED that examines the heart’s rhythm with an internal ECG. The AED shocks the heart to get it back to normal can be carried around easily. The AED is utilised to assist persons experiencing cardiac arrest.

Electrodes are sticky pads with sensors that are affixed to the bare chest of a person experiencing cardiac arrest. The electrodes in the person’s AED communicate cardiac rhythm data to a computer. In order to determine whether an electric shock is required, the computer analyses the cardiac rhythm. The electrodes administer the shock if necessary.

Why are defibrillators everywhere?

Defibrillators saves lives.  Only performing CPR, the casualty only has 10% chance of survival.  So why do we do CPR?  CPR will help circulate the oxygen and blood flow to the organs and keep the brain alive.  Using a defibrillator with performing CPR it increases the chance of survival by 74%.   Defibrillators can be found and are available in public places such as Supermarkets, Community Centres, Gyms, Post Offices, Churches, Airports or leisure Centres, just to name a few.

If you need a defibrillator in an emergency, the 999 emergency operator may be able to tell you where one is, so you can ask someone to get it. By performing CPR and using a defibrillator, you’ll give someone the best possible chance of survival, but there isn’t always a defibrillator close enough to help save the life of someone having a cardiac arrest.

Defibrillators in the Workplace: How Important Are

If a workplace didn’t spend money on particular things to safeguard its employees and keep them safe from harm, it would be viewed as being utterly irresponsible. First aid equipment, fire blankets, and fire extinguishers are some of these. All of them are very crucial, but an AED is frequently overlooked even though it is just as important, if not more.

There were 5.5 fire-related fatalities in the UK in 2016 for every million inhabitants. This low figure is mostly because to the precautionary precautions that are mandated in the UK, like smoke alarms and extinguishers. To be expected, there are a lot of standards for workplace fire safety equipment.

Consider that 30,000 sudden cardiac arrests (SCAs) occur outside of hospitals each year in the UK. This indicates that 100 persons experience SCAs at work each week. AEDs are currently not heavily regulated, and many business owners are unaware of the life-saving advantages of getting one.

Are SCAs Really Something We Have to Worry About in the Workplace?  Yes. A shocking 13% of workplace fatalities are due to someone suffering from a cardiac arrest, which just shows how important it is to have a defibrillator in the workplace.

The are certain things that increase the risk of your staff members suffering from a cardiac arrest at work, as well as other things that cause delays in ambulance arrival times, including the following:

• Working with high-voltage equipment
• Working at height
• An ageing workforce
• Hard-to-access urban locations
• Workplaces with strict security systems or large land masses

The hazards must be understood by business owners and HR management. The severity of the possible risk is really significant when it comes to cardiac arrest.

Every minute without CPR and defibrillation after a cardiac arrest decreases the patient’s chance of life by 7 to 10%. A person experiencing a cardiac arrest must be able to access an AED within 3 minutes for the best chance of survival. There is no time to waste because the average response time of the emergency services to a person with a cardiac arrest in an urban area has grown from 8 minutes to 11 minutes.

You could buy a device that, quite literally, can be used to do anything for the price of a new computer or a round of drinks at the workplace party.

If a cost of a defibrillator is out of your budget you can rent a defibrillator as low as 99p per month.  To find out more to Rent-a-Defib. Renting A Defib can protect your staff for less than the price of a cup of tea or a snack from the vending machine.  Having a rented defib will take the stress of owning a defibrillator.  Using rent a defib they will service the defib, complete annual check and replace the battery or pads free of charge within your agreement.

How to Use a Defibrillator!

Anyone can use a Defibrillator, here is a step by step guide on how:

1. Complete DR ABC survey by Checking; Dangers, Response, Airways and Breathing.  If the casualty is not breathing you will need to Call 999. Start Compression’s as soon as you can.
2. Call 999 and ask for a Defibrillator.  If you are with someone, they will be told by 999 call handler where the local Defibrillator is to you and the code to open it.
   If you are on your own STAY with the casualty, continue with CPR and wait for the ambulance to arrive with the defibrillator.
3. Switch the defibrillator on as soon as it arrives.  Follow the instructions.
4. Continue with CPR and following the instructions from the Defibrillator.  Await for the ambulance to arrive.

Anyone can use a defibrillator and you don’t need training. Once you turn it on, it will give clear instructions on how to attach the defibrillator pads. The device checks the heart rhythm and will only tell you to shock if it’s needed. You can’t shock someone accidentally.

Here is a video on how Defibrillator works;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFvL7wTFzl0

AED Precautions to know about

• Do Not touch the casualty while defibrillating. You or someone else could get shocked.
• Do Not use alcohol to wipe the casualties chest dry. Alcohol is flammable.
• Do Not use an AED in a moving vehicle. Movement may affect the analysis.
• Do Not use an AED on a casualty who is in contact with water. Move casualties away from puddles of water or swimming pools or out of the rain before defibrillating.
• Do Not use an AED on a casualty lying on a conductive surface. Conductive surfaces, such as sheet metal or metal bleachers, may transfer the shock to others.
• Do Not use an AED on a child under age 8 or under 90 pounds. AEDs do not have the capability to adjust to the low-energy settings needed for infants and children. Local protocols may differ on this and should be followed. You will need to seek advice from the 999 call handler if it is safe to use a defibrillator.  If the Defibrillator has a child setting or child pads, it is safe to use on a child under the age of 8 years.
• Do Not use an AED on a casualty who has a nitro-glycerine or other patch. Remove any patches from the chest before attaching the device.
• Do Not touch the casualty while the AED is analysing. Touching or moving the casualty may affect the analysis.
• Do Not defibrillate someone around flammable materials, such as gasoline or free flowing oxygen.
• Do Not use a cellular phone or radio within 6 feet of the AED. This may interrupt analysis.

Can AEDs be used safely in the rain and snow?
Yes, it is safe to use AEDs in all weather conditions. However, if at all possible, move to shelter and keep the casualty protected from inclement weather. If the casualty is lying in water, move him or her to a relatively dry area before using the AED. In wet weather, be sure to wipe the casualties chest dry before placing the electrode pads.

Do AEDs need regular maintenance?
Yes, all AEDs need to be maintained on a regular basis. Maintenance includes checking and changing batteries and electrode cables and pads. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for maintenance of the AED at your worksite.

Further Training

If you would like more information on our courses, or would like advice on buying a Defibrillator we can help.  Please feel free to call us on 01543 453338 or 07506 906641.  Alternatively email us on info@hmbtrainingservices.co.uk.