AED

[nick46928]

Thats scary. Even the TV teaches the public that to have a chance a person needs AED or other means to shock in the first few minutes.

Very true. She tried to justify why she did it by saying that the patient was in asystole and therefore the AED wouldn't defib anyway. But there was 3 or 4 minutes between the time we called the code (pt had unknown downtime) and the arrival of the medics. I tried to explain to her that he could have went from v-fib to asystole in that amount of time. She just looked at me like I didn't know what I was talking about since I was just an "ambulance driver".

[Richard B the EMT]

While the cost of these defibs have come down, it kind of reminds me of an ambulance service I used to work for.

They had everything the state standards called for, but it was kept under lock and key onboard the ambulances, and that key was in the office. Why? "So you cannot use them. These things cost money!"

New management there now, event was over 20 years ago.

[nick46928]

They had everything the state standards called for, but it was kept under lock and key onboard the ambulances, and that key was in the office.

Thats even scarier than my story. I wonder how they would justify that in court if someone found out that they had the neccessary equipment to save someone's life but couldn't save them because it was "too expensive"?

[Richard B the EMT]

The company was not a 9-1-1 provider, basically just a taxi with stretcher, as opposed to a taxi with a meter. Actual emergency calls were few and far between, and usually done by a team with at least one of the owner's family riding or driving.

[dzmohr]

OK I know this is an old post, but I have not been around here for a few months and this one is important to me.... For trained responders who are likely to do resuscitations and use the machine with some frequency I like the Zoll for it's CPR feedback.... as for an overall public access defibrillator where frequency of use is reduced I have seen nothing that compares with the Heartsine PAD .... it is 300 dollars or more less then the next least expensive model, yet it is one of two that has a 7 year warranty ( Cardiac Science is the other) it is one of two that has an IP rating of 56 ( again Cardiac Science is the only other) it records up to 60 minutes of ecg, most only record 20 ... battery and pad module only costs 95 to replace where the battery alone in the Cardiac Science is 300+ and the pads for the Zoll , if you use the one piece, is 149 -- most of the batteries for the others is 150+ add another 30-159 for the pads.

Heartsine has a model working toward FDA approval that will be in the 400-500 range list that is designed for home use. Phillips should have their CPR feedback model out soon from what I hear.

Still looking for a bi-lingual model for public access use where appropriate.

The only ones I would like to see off the market or available to professional only would be the fully automatic units regardless of the maker.... there are FDA reports on file where CPR was being done ( not deep enough for the AED to sense it but deep enough to make artifact it took for VF) and in loud environments the folks doing CPR did not hear the warning it was about to shock, so they got the full effect. Two of the reports were paramedics doing the CPR --- I fear it a matter of time before we have an issue with them.

[BushyFromOz]

The only ones I would like to see off the market or available to professional only would be the fully automatic units regardless of the maker.... there are FDA reports on file where CPR was being done ( not deep enough for the AED to sense it but deep enough to make artifact it took for VF) and in loud environments the folks doing CPR did not hear the warning it was about to shock, so they got the full effect. Two of the reports were paramedics doing the CPR --- I fear it a matter of time before we have an issue with them.

:shock:

Your still on about this?? :?

[akroeze]

Maybe this was asked already, but why is a Paramedic using a fully automatic machine?

[dzmohr]

First responders were using fully automatic aed, not sure why paramedic was doing compressions. They had their monitor already hooked up but had not removed AED. They were not paying attention to the AED which had earlier given a "no shock advised" since the rhythm was not shockable.

It was the medics not deep enough compressions that the machine thought was a newly developed shockable rhythm.

As for the question as to my still being "on that" ... I was primarily responding because several mentioned these devices were dead or dying....and several asked if they were still making them without an answer in two threads.... they are actually being touted by CS and Medtronic as the latest new thing!

They point out that just as an executioner is reluctant to flip the switch, they claim many are reluctant to push the shock button (THEY say that, not me!) Love how the equate a life restoring reset with an execution.