Occupational Health & Safety: Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) have become a familiar sight in many workplaces across America, yet these life-saving devices are still not present in the majority of them. Organizations without AED programs cite various concerns, range from liability issues to costs, as reasons to withhold a sudden cardiac arrest safety net.
11 comments:
There are far too many people who don't know the value of AEDs. They are so easy to use, and they are incredibly effective. I think more people think to perform CPR as the go-to way to save a life in an emergency situation. Not many people realize that heart disease is the number one cause of death among American women. Every establishment should take the initiative to watch out for their employees and patrons by having an AED program
The arguments in this article are backed up by some pretty impressive statistics and success stories. Any company who doesn't have an AED device in their facility and an employee training program in place should read this article. Yes, there are costs involved, but in spending that money you are not only putting yourself and your employees in a position to save lives, but you are also showing your employees that you care about their wellbeing and want to have safety measures in place that can help them if they are in need. I am AED certified, and can attest to the fact that modern AED devices are incredibly easy to use. I would not be afraid to use one on someone for fear of being sued; I would rather use it in an effort to save someone's life. What this all comes down to is caring for one another- not only our customers but also ourselves and our fellow employees.Yes, there are costs involved, and yes, there are occasional liability issues involved, but are those really reasons not to put yourself in a position to save lives? I don't think so.
It would be silly to say that AEDs are useless, but I can see the concerns. They are very dangerous, and seeing one, especially in a time of crisis can be a little overwhelming. I think that all places would have one available, but I would also like to say that I think all workplaces should have a required training course in CPR, AEDs, and other basic things like that as part of their employee health codes. Some places do do some, if not all of that, but if it was a mandated thing, that would be good.
It still surprises me when I see things like this. Every building should always have an AED readily accessible because you never know what could happen and when. What many people do not realize or believe is that every minute & second counts. When someone is actually in Cardiac Arrest (as opposed to having a heart attack/myocardial infarction), they are dead. The longer you take with compressions + AED, the lower the chance for survival. So, no matter how fast EMS responds, it is [almost] never fast enough. And to think, "Oh it won't happen to/here" is just not smart. And I do think employees should be trained, however even if they are not, if they follow the AEDs instructions, they should do ok.
I think having AEDs in as many work and public places as possible is a really fantastic thing. I know we have one somewhere in the school of drama, there might actually be more than one, but I have no idea where they are off the top of my head. That is the thing though about having them, is that there is not much point if people don't have enough information. Even if I was standing next to one while some one went into cardiac arrest, I am not sure that I would have any idea what to do or any idea how to get to someone in the building quickly that knew how to use one. One big thing that I think places should really work on and put money into if need be, is not only having safety equipment and live saving devices, but spreading knowledge about them so that everyone knows that it is there and they know how to correctly use it if need be.
While they have made impressive strides into the idiot proofing of these machines and the rate of success is very high they are also very costly. The initial investment is relatively high but to keep them up and operational as well as tested is a huge undertaking that many institutions do not take into consideration. Maintaining these systems can make the difference between life and death and judging by the state of some fire extinguisher programs even if people are depending on life saving technology there is no guarantees that companies will pay to maintain them.
The article makes an interesting point about having an AED lesson for your employees but in reality almost any person can operate an AED. They are completely automated and talk the operator through the procedures and will even record vital signs which can be delivered with the patient to the hospital for more accurate readings. While yes they are expensive investments but there is no reason to not have an AED. Early defibrillation drastically increases chances for recovery. one thing though that people should be aware of. Defibrillation or shocking a patient DOES NOT RESTART THE PATIENTS HEART. what Defibrillation does is it shocks the heart to stop rhythm so that the hearts natural pacemaker can reset to a normal rhythm. An Aed will only shock if it detects certain cardiac rhythms but the AED should still be applied to any unconscious victim with out a detectable pulse because the AED will accurately monitor the patient.
It's mind-boggling to me that we have this device which is completely self-contained and portable, requires almost NO training, instructs users exactly how to perform a life-saving maneuver, drastically improves a person's chances of surviving cardiac arrest, and that having one isn't SOP in almost every public place in the country. Regarding liability, I believe that, for users, most states have Good Samaritan laws which limit an individual's liability when they come to another's aid. It just seems like such a no-brainer to me to increase survival rates and decrease the amount of training required to save those lives.
There is really no reason why a company shouldn't have an AED. The fact they they routinely save lives and have been proven to be a crucial part of saving someone who has gone into cardiac arrest should be enough of a reason to purchase one. It is always great to have a person with the ability to do CPR on staff, but the presence of an AED and a staff member trained to use one just as if not more important.
Even before reading this article I could've told you just how important an AED is to any workplace. They may be expensive, they may never get used, but to not have one would be ridiculous. The amount of lives saved by AEDs is proof enough to say that they are a necessity. The new ones even talk you through the steps involved in working it, this makes it possible for anybody to grab this little lifesaver and save a life. This allows for quicker response time and makes it easier to save a life.
I didn't know we had an AED in Purnell until Ben talked about it in Welding class.
Overall, I think that nowadays people are more aware of CPR and AEDs and as the statistics show, it does help save life.
I think that maybe one day there will be a law that all employees must know how to use devices such as AEDs. I am not AED certified but after reading this I think i might go and get certified.
Post a Comment