07/08/2023
If you are a business owner, then you can demonstrate that you truely care about your staff and customers, by having a Defibrillator available, so you can provide critical care to someone who suddenly suffers from a cardiac arrest.
The chance of the paramedics arriving quickly in is unlikely, as you probably heard. It’s not the Paramedics fault, the system is overloaded.
There is value having well trained staff and a Defibrillator on site. The investment in a Defibrillator is just over a $1 per day. That’s remarkable value to be able to save a life.
That’s the investment in the cost of a Defibrillator that just may save your life.
In fact most workplaces don’t have a Defibrillator at all.
There are many stories of successful cardiac arrest that are revived with using a Defib. It amazes me that many big businesses, with plenty of staff and customers, do not have a Defib.
As a first aider, you do not need to know the cause of the cardiac arrest or the name of the heart rhythm they are in - the defibrillator will do all the detective work for you.
If you see a patient who is unresponsive and not breathing normally, chest compressions should be commenced immediately and continued until a Defibrillator AED is applied. (ARC guidelines).
Its interesting to know what is occuring...
If the adult that is collapsed was a witnessed cardiac arrest, (in other words has just recently happened), the most likely heart rhythm that will be occurring is Ventricular Fibrillation (VF) or a pulse-less Ventricular Tachycardia (VT).
There is no way that the first aider can know what rhythm the person in cardiac arrest is in, nor is it necessary to know. The defibrillator will detect this for you.
Both of these rhythms (VT and VF) are recognised by the Defibrillator. They are both considered as shock-able rhythms and the Defibrillator will tell the first aider to deliver a shock. Hopefully after the first few shocks will revert the rhythm to a blood pumping rhythm.
The 3rd rhythm that can occur is what the movies call flat line (asystole) – there is no electrical activity! The Defibrillator decides that its a non-shockable rhythm and will communicate to the first aider to keep doing CPR until help arrives.
There are some other rhythms that can occur. But the first aider’s aim is to deliver quality CPR.
The purpose of CPR and defibrillation is to temporarily maintain a circulation sufficient to preserve brain function until specialised treatment is available.
The combination of CPR and Defibrillator can give a much better chance of survival.
The hardest thing about a defib is getting it to the casualty in time.
Having a defibrillator onsite, at your workplace, gives you the best chance to attach it ASAP.
