AED Requalification

The people of Northumberland can sleep easy tonight, safe in the knowledge that I have just completed an Automated External Defibrillation (AED) requalification course. I was actually still in ticket from my previous course, but decided to take the opportunity to refresh my skills anyway.

Some of you may already be aware that I'm a first aid trainer and assessor. Most of my work is with one of the voluntary aid societies (no names, no pack drill) and I also work for a couple of local training companies whenever they need a hand. This means super cheapo courses are pretty easy to come by when I need them.

As chance would have it the benefits of prompt defibrillation were being discussed on BBC News last week. Prompt defibrillation - in effect shocking an electrically-disrupted heart into normal (or better) rhythm - is one of the key links in what we first aiders call 'The Chain of Survival'.


Without going into too much detail the chances of a collapsed (eg. not breathing) heart attack victim surviving are greatly improved if you can implement all four links of the chain as quickly as possible, namely:

• Early Access: Assess the situation and get help quickly. If you're alone you will probably have to go and call an ambulance yourself (the benefits of getting help outweigh the risks of leaving the casualty alone for the few minutes that you're away). If someone is with you send them to call an ambulance while you carry on with CPR. If there's a defibrillator nearby then grab it.
  
• Early CPR: Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation to keep the casualty's blood circulating, thereby supplying oxygen to their vital organs. If there is more than one first aider you can take it in turns to reduce fatigue.
  
• Early Defibrillation: If there an AED is available follow the written instructions and audible prompts to attach it to the casualty, monitor their heart rhythm and deliver an electric shock if necessary.
• Early Advanced Care: This is the treatment given when the ambulance crew (or other medical professionals) arrive, take over responsibility for the casualty and whisk them off to hospital.

Difficult to explain in words - much easier to understand if you have it explained, demonstrated and practiced while attending a first aid course. I recommend anyone without a current first aid certificate attends a course as a matter of urgency - you never know when you might need it.

Anyhow, I digress. Between 1999 and 2005 about 130 people were saved directly as a result of having an AED nearby and someone confident enough to use it. They really are lifesaving bits of kit, but all too often people are worried about using them in case something goes wrong or a pack of blood thirsty lawyers come chasing them later.

The key thing is, although I've had a bit of training, AEDs are so straightforward to use that anyone could use one in an emergency.

To put it bluntly, if someone is lying lifeless on the floor you're probably not going make them any worse by attempting CPR and defibrillation - in all likelihood you'd improve their chances.