SCA, AED and PAD: Learning the Acronyms for Safety

For every person, having someone suffer Sudden Cardiac Arrest by their side is probably something that they would like to dodge at any cost. The problem is that there is no certainty when it comes to sudden cardiac arrest. By its call only, it is clear how abruptly it happens and when it does, there is no questioning that you should do something to help out.

So what is it that makes it so distressing to have someone suffer sudden cardiac arrest? Well, apart from the fact that the person will be minutes away from dying, it is also that how you respond is a big factor in that person’s fate.  A sudden cardiac arrest is the sudden loss of heart function which can happen to anyone at any age. If not given the appropriate treatment in time, it is most likely that the person will die. It is often caused by the arrhythmias, which are abnormal heart rhythms. Ventricular fibrillation is one specific type of arrhythmia which also one of the most common. What it does is it deteriorates the heart’s electrical impulses into a state of disorder, which then leads it to being ineffective. Soon, the blood flow that is supposed to travel to the brain is obstructed, rendering the victim unconscious. In due time, the victim will ultimately lose their life if the heart rhythm is not brought back to its normal state. Having an AED program will definitely come a long way for such a situation.

An automated external defibrillator, or an AED, is a modern device that helps restore the normal rhythm of a person’s heart. With an AED program a rescuer can easily respond to a sudden cardiac arrest emergency by first evaluating the heart rhythm of the victim with the use of the AED. Through the device, the rescuer will know if the heart requires a shock which will restore its function to normal. The device definitely makes it much easier to attend to a sudden cardiac arrest victim as it includes user-friendly features such as voice prompts, lights and texts messages. These will give the rescuer a thorough guide on how to provide treatment to the victim. Despite being made with ease of use in mind, people still require to have a proper training before operating device. This is to make sure that they can use it efficiently to save someone’s life. Training for the device’s use should be included in the implementation of an AED program. Also, to make an AED program more productive, you should take the time to select the best brand for you.

Today, having an AED program in public places is not simply a choice anymore, but a requirement. If a business establishment does not have this program, they are likely to deal with legal issues.  In particular, the Cardiac Arrest Survival Act of 2000 pushes federal buildings to have AEDs. Laws regarding PADs (Public Access to Defibrillation) vary among different regions. You should check out such laws in your area to avoid having future problems.

Learning CPR: Why, How, and Where?

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation is probably something that you know about, though you are likely to just refer to it as CPR. It is something that frequently pops out in movies, TV shows and whatnot. It is often portrayed as a heroic deed that strengthens a character’s presence. Typically, someone will drown, preferably a woman with great bikini body, and this heroic dude will come from out of nowhere, in slow motion of course, to save the day. In the manner of how it is shown, it would seem as if it was just easy to administer CPR. While, in fact, a trained person can definitely revive a drowned victim, an actual emergency situation will entail a more serious atmosphere than what most movies will let you see. Just think, what if there was no one in the area who knew CPR? Slow motions and heroes rarely, more like never, come in real life. This is why it is important for you to learn the technique yourself. For all you know, you might be the hero that everyone is looking forward to.

When you are trying to learn CPR, what you should think about is that it gives you the opportunity to save a person’s life. You will be glad to know that CPR training courses are available in a lot of places today. The first thing to do when administering CPR is to place the hands at a certain spot on the victim’s chest. With the right positioning of the hands, you will apply chest compressions to the victim, making it harder at each time to see a sign of recovery. You will then give the person artificial breath through mouth to mouth resuscitation. This helps the body organs be supplied of oxygen and resumes normal activity in blood circulation. If done right, CPR keeps the victim alive while waiting for professional emergency response teams. CPR training will help you be assured that you are doing the job right.

Giving CPR to a victim immediately after their accident is crucial. For every minute that passes without them being provided with the medical attention they need, their chance of survival lessens. Basically, the life-saving serves as a reliever while expert medical attention has yet to come. Making a mistake during the administration of CPR can fatal, which is something that CPR training courses will definitely impart in its students very well. CPR training is practically available everywhere, all that there is to it is the urge to learn.

Licensed professionals lead CPR training so you can definitely learn its proper execution. You will be given a choice in the level of first aid training that you require. Only those whose careers are in the medical track are obliged to take on the more advanced level of training. In any case, they will help you in becoming CPR-certified by filling you with the most important information and letting you experience life-saving drills. For a better benefit, you will also see that there are courses available through online.

AEDs: Getting with the Program

Considering how frequently it happens, you are probably familiar with what is known as sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Whether you have personally witnessed someone suffer from it or seen a report somewhere, you can certainly tell to have something that can prevent the worst if such an incident happens in your area. Thanks to the ever-evolving technology today, people are given a solution for this type of emergency. Automated External Defibrillators, or you might simply call them AEDs, are devices that can be used to attend to a person having an SCA. With it, and a person who have undergone training for its use, a victim can be given the prompt medical response that they require. This is a great help since emergency medical professionals might not respond as quickly.

A sudden cardiac can occur at any time, place and on any person, having said that, it becomes imperative to have a safety program prepared in any area. Now, an AED program is pretty much implemented in working environments, public establishments and even at homes. Since the awareness for its need is widespread, more and more people have pursued the implementation of their AED program. It not only involves the purchase of an AED device, but also the proper training for its use.

Since saving a person’s life is what is at stake in having an AED program, experts absolutely recommend having them at your place. It actually goes along with training for CPR. Having you or your employees well-versed in both will give the most advantage. Assuming that you will only make use of CPR during a sudden cardiac arrest emergency, the chances of the victim of surviving will only rise up to 5%. Administering both CPR and AED, there is more than 70% chance of survival for the victim.

The idea for corporate social responsibility has had a significant change recently whereas, now health and safety standards implemented within business establishments have been more enforced. As a result, business owners are now more inclined to make sure that both their employees and clients are safe within their premises. Having a properly managed AED program became mandatory to the extent that those who do not comply will be charged with negligence should an accident occur in their establishment. Mainly, schools and businesses are required to have AEDs.

In a executing an AED program, here are the things that you need to take note of. First of all, evaluate the current status of your establishment, how big it is and how many people are within. This also leads you to determining how many AEDs you need in your place. Consider the rule that AEDs should be administered to a sudden cardiac arrest victim within the first four minutes after.  Then, you should also check the PDA regulations set in your local area. This might vary in every state so you should see to it that you are not violating any rules in your area. All these steps will help you determine how you can effectively implement your AED program.

Online Training for CPR

Despite the fact that more people has realized the need to learn the administration of CPR, it is probably something that they would opt not be in need of using. Perhaps even a trained individual would have second doubts about their ability to save another person’s life. Responding to an emergency is essentially putting another’s life on your own hands.

CPR is definitely a technique that can come very handy when you encounter a moment of danger with someone important in your life. More often than not, emergency response teams take a very long time to arrive in the scene and the odds that there are other people in the area who know CPR is somewhat bleak. If you want to avoid relying on chances, you should definitely undergo CPR training. Due to the fact that these CPR training courses are offered in a lot of places, you cannot find any excuse to not take them. Making matters much easier, there are even training courses that can be accessed online. This lets you learn the technique without even going out of your home.

Adults are more commonly seen administering CPR, but even kids are now given CPR training courses as well. For children, these training courses become a part of their early education, covering the administration of life-saving techniques in emergency situations. In online safety and health websites, both adult and children courses for CPR training are offered. From its execution to the other useful information about Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, these online websites will cover everything that people will need to learn.

The fundamentals of the technique will be the first ones to be discussed in an online CPR training course. You will learn the proper execution of mouth resuscitation and chest compressions. These steps will buy the victim time while waiting for professional medical assistance to respond. There are a lot of advanced methods to be presented in the more expertly constructed online training courses. Most of them will even make use of interactive models so that they can clearly show how CPR is done. This also helps the students get a more genuine feel of a rescue operation.

There are a lot of advantages to be noted in online courses for CPR when compared to live classes. For the most obvious benefit, the whole family can learn together within their home. They would not feel the pressure of having to deal with an instructor. Instead, they can set their own learning pace, helping them learn more efficiently. Another advantage is that the online courses do not take a long time to finish. In only 5 hours max, you can be CPR-certified along with your family.  As for your CPR-certification, the period of its course depends on the online CPR training you have gone under. This typically lasts up to two years and you will need further training should you desire to renew you certification. For what it is worth, the additional training will help you learn how to protect your family better from unexpected accidents.

Getting your AED System in Full Operation

It is imperative to ensure that you are always on your toes for an unexpected incident, especially when it involves a matter of life and death. For such situations, it is best to equip yourself with the most reliable lifesaving preparations. To be specific, AEDs should be present when a sudden cardiac arrest occurs. The term AED is the acronym for Automated External Defibrillator. This is an advanced medical device that helps an administrator revive someone whose heart function suddenly deteriorates. First, the device analyzes the heart rhythm of the victims, determining if a shock needs to be administered. It then lets the rescuer know how he should handle the situation. Though using the AED is made simple enough, it is still important that an individual, who is trained for its use, be in the area where the sudden cardiac arrest incident transpires.

This gives light to the importance of having an AED program within your premises, especially if you own a public establishment. Others will browse the internet for more information about AEDs as soon as they realize the significance of having it, which is a good thing. However, they tend to fail in gathering the more relevant information that they should be looking for. There are a lot of things for you to consider in order to have an appropriate AED program running in your place. Making sure that you stick to them will help you ensure that your rescue operations will save lives rather than end up being useless. What you need is a closer look on the AED product that you are planning to use as well as its manufacturer.

Make sure that you are getting the right product from the right people by limiting your scope of choices down to the distributors that are acknowledged by the most number of clients. You should appoint your AED program manager whose first task should be to make a draft of the most important questions to ask the distributors. These questions should be able to cover all the important aspects that you need to make an informed decision when you hire a particular distributor. Some of what needs to be pointed out are the initial purchase cost of their device, how much its replacement costs, and how much it will be should you need an upgrade in the future.  Essentially, they should be able to give you a clear estimate of your prospective AED program.

Having an AED program definitely requires more effort than you might initially think. After choosing a distributor, getting your hands on an AED does not instantly mean that you already have a credible program. You will even need to learn or train your employees to properly use the device that you purchased. Every product is different. You might clearly see how they differ by their design, price, durability, cost and level of support. In the end though, what is important is that you have people who can use it in case of an emergency, because saving lives is their ultimate purpose.

Being Prepared for the Unimaginable by Learning CPR

If you think about it, there are many ways in which life can surprise you. You make plans for your everyday activities, trying hard to make things go the way you want. There are times when things will work out for you, while at some, your day will turn out much different than you set it out to be. The worst part is that you do not get to see when an accident might be drawing closer. People, for the most part, do what they can in order to guarantee their health and safety as they go about their business. The problem is that the term accident refers to an event that you will definitely be unaware of. This is why a preventive measure is always necessary. Aside from having first aid kits and other life-saving instruments, you should be armed with the knowledge of administering CPR.

CPR stands for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation which is a technique used to save the life of a victim, restoring their body function in the process. Drowning victims are primarily the ones who are administered with this life-saving technique. They are given multiple CPR to get their breathing patterns in a normal state. CPR is also applicable for people who had a sudden cardiac arrest. Doing so will bring back the normal heart beat rate of the victim, reviving them as a result. CPR is done by first, executing a mouth to mouth resuscitation, giving artificial air into the victim’s mouth. What come next are chest compressions, which is done on a particular spot on the victim’s chest. If not done carefully, this can lead to a worse complication. Going through CPR training you will learn exactly how to do the technique.

It has become generally accepted that CPR is something that people should learn. In respect to this fact, CPR training courses are now widely spread across the nation, even the world actually. There are health centers and institutions that openly provide their training courses for anyone of any age. Personally wanting to learn CPR is one thing, but did you know that some people are required by law to learn it? Apparently, there are careers wherein being knowledgeable of the technique is mandatory. Such is the case for those who work in schools and nursing homes among others. Regardless of one’s career, however, the need to take CPR training is definitely present. With proper CPR training, you can guarantee that you can handle a sudden emergency that might come your way.

Those who have children in their life can greatly benefit from taking CPR training courses. The need for it becomes stronger if a body of water is within the house’s range, like say a pool, river or perhaps a sea. Children, for the most part, are hard to distance from harm. They tend to do as they please and it gets them into trouble at most times. If worse comes to worst, having the know-hows on CPR might just save your child’s life.

The Importance of AED Programs

Sudden cardiac arrest is something that can possibly happen to anyone. Regardless of age, gender or state of health, anyone is susceptible in having an abrupt stop to the heart rhythm. In order to get a clearer view on how serious the problem is, one can turn to the records regarding health diseases in the United States. As it turns out, there are approximately about 350,000 from 930,000 victims of heart disease suffer from cardiac arrest. Fortunately, experts have also found that about 90% of them could be saved with a quick application of AED.

Now more than ever, having an AED program in one place has become very vital. For the uninitiated, the device know as AED or automated external defibrillator is one that delivers an electric shock for a victim to regain their normal heart rhythm, ultimately saving their life in the process. In a sudden cardiac arrest episode, the victim suffers from an erratic heart rate that causes the blood circulation cease. In this situation, a trained individual can simply apply the AED program on the chest of the victim. The device will act to analyze the heart’s condition and brings back its rhythm to its normal state. If successful, the victim will be revived.

The organization that is dedicated in seeking a country that is free from heart diseases called the American Heart Association (AHA) supports the use of AED and hence, the implementation of an AED program for every public place in which a sudden cardiac arrest might suddenly transpire. According them, there is a possibility of saving up to a 100,000 cardiac arrest victims if only the right people are to undergo a comprehensive training on how to use the life-saving device. There is a truth in this statement, as experts say that with the use of AEDs a victim has up to about 49% increase in their chance for survival if they are administered with an AED.

Reaching the perceived number is unattainable though without having the fundamental rescue training that is required. This is why the American Heart Association (AHA) has decided to spread the importance of having an AED program. They actually lead the execution of the said programs and training in various places around the country.

The American Heart Association (AHA) is actually not alone in their pursuit as there are non-government organizations that also push the implementation of AED programs forward. One example is the American Red Cross which gives people access to both CPR and AED trainings, hoping that these people can learn how to face a situation wherein their quick response and decision-making is highly necessary. As a reward for completing their courses, the American Red Cross represents the enrollees as nationally recognized certified rescuers. This is a big deal since it entitles them to use the more advanced onsite AEDs. These devices are those used in an AED program of professionals such as police officers, firefighters and medical services. Using these, they can save lives more effectively.

How to Implement a Proper Program for AED

Sudden Cardiac Arrest is unfortunately not uncommon today. As a matter of fact, statistics show that in the United States, it has caused the death of a considerable number of people. In order to address this growing problem, through science, there has now been a given solution called AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators). With its use, a trained individual can quickly respond to the needs of a victim if emergency medical services cannot quickly arrive into the scene.

As mentioned before, sudden cardiac arrest is now common. It is therefore natural for a countermeasure to become commonly implemented as well. In various areas, work environments, public places and others have set their respective AED program for the safety of both the employees and clients. The need for such a program is brought up by the people’s increased awareness in the high possibility of having unexpected health incidence. Now there is a much need for life-saving medical devices and trained personnel who can operate them.

People in general are probably informed about how important it is to ensure a place with an AED program. After all, it saves people’s lives for the most part. In the case of CPR, experts believe that for every minute that it is not applied, a victim’s chance at survival lowers by up to 10%. Consequently, when CPR is done, only up to 5% survival rate or lower may be produced. For this reason, it is best to do a CPR in conjunction with an AED, in which a victim gets above 70% shot at survival. This made AED program as vitally needed as CPR training.

As a result, there has come a big shift in the idea of corporate social responsibility. The practices that used to be implemented within business regarding health and safety have changed. Fortunately, most companies are quick to realize the relevance of these changes, putting the needs of both their staff and clients at the top of their priorities. Soon, the standard of care has leveled with a having an appropriate AED program. The truth is that in courts, not having an AED within an establishment is considered as a ground for negligence. There are now even laws that relate to having AEDs at schools, businesses and other public establishments.

To understand better how to implement an appropriate AED program, here are some of the questions that should be asked when establishing a program. First, what are the emergency responses that are already implemented? This entails a full evaluation of the establishment including the number of people within the facility and the size of the facility itself. Second, what regulations are being executed in the local area regarding PAD programs? Obviously, there is a variety for these regulations for every state.  It is necessary to make sure that the establishment is not violating the laws. Third, how many AEDs are needed? It is imperative for a victim to be administered with the AED within 4 minutes. It is therefore, necessary to have an AED in every area of the facility.

Considerations in Handling an AED System

When emergency strikes at the most unimaginable moments, one’s best defense is a sense of preparedness and control over where the situation would end up. This is where lifesaving countermeasures such as programs for AED is best implemented. AED stands for Automated External Defibrillator, which is a sophisticated medical device that functions as a means of analyzing a person’s heart rhythm. It informs a rescuer what procedure the victim, who has suffered a sudden cardiac arrest, requires. Given that there is a person in the area who has had training on how to use the machine, the risk of the victim’s death is decreased significantly.

There are several procedures to take in order to establish a proper AED program. On the internet, everyday there are people searching for these steps in order to get their own program going. Despite this fact, however, it seems that most of them are oblivious to the more important details that need to be learnt when executing an AED program. They tend to disregard the important factors that determine whether a rescue operation ends in success or failure. What one needs to do is a thorough scrutiny of the product as well as its distributors. Here are some of the important factors to consider.

First of all, there should be an appropriate meeting with the distributors in order to tell which product is the best out of all that is available. The AED program manager at one’s workplace should take responsibility for drafting out the most important questions firsthand. A few examples of the questions are about the initial cost of the device, the cost for a replacement, the cost of upgrading and a lot more. In order to find out the most crucial information to take, there must be an extensive research about the use of the device.

One might think than an AED program is all set with the presence of an AED. However, AED devices greatly differ aside from the fact that they all deliver a shock therapy. In choosing a device, it is fairly easy to make notable differences between the different products. The aspects in which they will vary are the design, color, durability, level of support and cost. In the end though, regardless, of the look, the price and everything else, what is important is to make sure that it can effectively serve for a sudden cardiac arrest.

There is no doubt that encountering a sudden cardiac arrest is something that people want to avoid, even for those who have already trained for the situation. Obviously, the experience garnered during the training sessions will never match the pressure and the adrenaline during an actual emergency. As it involves another person’s life, it might be a hard decision whether or not one should get involved. There is the benefit, though, of saving another person’s life if it is done right. So, when everything is said and done, one should definitely implement an AED program. With it, the establishment and its people will be more confident that they can attend to such incidents prepared.

What You Need to Know About AED

It can be very easy for anyone to say that they are ready to face any emergency situation. In truth, the only time that we can check whether we are ready for such or not is when danger and emergency is already staring us at the face. Nevertheless, being ready and knowing what to do in such situations is a must. Having said that, it comes as no surprise that more and more people are actually taking the time to learn about the various ways that they can help in saving another person’s life. One of these many ways is through an AED.

AED stands for Automated External Defibrillator. In most cases, a responder makes use of the AED in order to administer electric jolts to a person suffering from cardiac arrhythmias and ventricular tachycardia. This portable electronic device typically comes with two pads, a portable electronic control, and wires that attach the pads to the system. The electronic control panel usually comes with a screen that provides the user with the needed information in order to determine whether there is a need for the electrical jolts or not. What the AED typically does is stop the heart beat in order to give it enough time to regain its normal beating pattern.

Generally, one would need to have a training in the use of AED in order to run this device properly. In most states, a 2-year AED/ CPR Certification cards are issued to those who have successfully completed a training. These trainings are typically free and are generally required as a  compliance to various state laws as well as the American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines.

People interested in securing their own AED would have to keep in mind a number of things. For one, the AED should have a voice prompt feature that can help rescuers just listen to the information being provided by the machine instead of them having to look up every now and then. One also has to keep in mind that the availability of AED for residential use is not something that is required by law, although it might prove to be  a big help. Only businesses and commercial establishments are required by state laws to have at least one (1) unit of AED available in the most convenient area. Having said that, homeowners who would like to make use of an AED need not seek a certification in order for them to operate the device. All they have to do is watch the training video that comes with the AED that they have purchased.

Of course, it also pays to keep in mind that not all cases of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) can be dealt with using AED. In some cases, CPR would do just fine.

If you need help setting up your own AED program, you can always get in touch with such institutions as the Citywide CPR as they can provide you with the needed training and program management services in order for your AED program to be a success.