AED Automated External Difibrillator Policy

Introduction: The Early Defibrillation Service shall have written operational policies and procedures, which shall be subject to and available for inspection by the office of EMS.

These policies should at a minimum address: A. The operation and maintenance of the services provided by the Service including equipment and facilities. B. The responsibilities of personnel associated with the service as limited by registration. C. Notification procedures of an incident.

1. Authority and Purpose: The purpose of this section is to explain legislation passed in the 1999 session of the General Assembly and signed by the Governor authorizing Public Access Defibrillation. The legislation establishes the standards for training, recognition, and patient care activities by non-emergency response agencies, public or private, to administer external cardiac defibrillation, under medical control, in an out-of -hospital setting. It also establishes standards through the Board of Health for the Office of Emergency Medical Services to administer recognition certificates of Early Defibrillation Services, to assure equipment standardization, quality assurance, and uniformity of training.
   
2. Definition: An AED is the acronym for Automated External Defibrillator and is a device that is designed to analyze a hear rhythm and advise trained or "lay" personnel when to push a button on the unit to deliver a potentially lifesaving shock (defibrillation) to the victim of a sudden cardiac arrest. The chance of survival decreases 7-10% for each minute that passes with defibrillation.
   
   AED Operation - means someone who has completed a training program approved by the Board in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and in the use of the AED and who is currently recognized as a member of an "Early Defibrillation Service" whose registration has not expired.
   
   Automated External Defibrillator - means a device which combines a heart monitor and defibrillator and (i) has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, (ii) is capable of recognizing the presence of absence of ventricular tachycardia, (iii) is capable of determining, without intervention by an operator, whether defibrillation should be performed, and (iv) automatically charges and requests delivery of an electrical impulse to an individual's heart, upon determining that defibrillation should be performed.
   
   Basic Life Support - means a level of pre-hospital and interfacility care which includes the recognition of other life threatening conditions which may result in respiratory and cardiac arrest, and the application of life support functions including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), use of adjunctive techniques and procedures.
   
   Board - means the State Board of Health.
   
   CDC - means the Centers for Disease Control located in Atlanta, Georgia.
   
   Department - means the Department of Health.
   
   Early Defibrillation Service - means any person as defined herein, which routinely may be expected to provide care to victims of cardiac arrest, who wish to employ or retain personnel within their organization, who are trained in the use of automated external defibrillation and related patient care.
   
   EMS Advisory Board - means the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board as appointed by the Governor.
   
   Emergency Medical Services Agency - means any person engaged in the business, service, or regular activity, whether or not for profit, of transporting and or/rendering immediate medical care to such persons who are sick, injured, wounded, or otherwise incapacitated or helpless.
   
   Emergency Medical Services Personnel - means persons responsible for the direct provision of emergency medical services in a given medical emergency including any or all persons who could be described as an attendant, attendant-in-charge, or operator.
   
   Emergency Medical Services Vehicle - means any privately or publicly owned vehicle, vessel or aircraft that is specially designed, constructed, or modified and equipped and is intended to be used for and is maintained or operated to provide immediate medical care to or to transport persons who are sick, injured, wounded, or otherwise incapacitated or helpless.
   
   Medical Director - means a physician licensed to practice medicine and/or osteopathy in the Commonwealth of Virginia who agrees to supervise an Early Defibrillation Service.
   
   Public Access Defibrillation or PAD - means a public health initiative that increases survival from out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest by shortening the time of defibrillation by training and equipping individuals/groups in the use of automated external defibrillators.
   
   Person - means a person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company, or group of individuals acting together for a common purpose or organization of any kind, including any government agency other than an agency of the United States government; but excluding a health care facility licensed by the State Board of Health or the Board of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services or an adult care residence licensed by the Board of Social Services, and any person regulated by a health regulatory board within the Department of Health Professions whose scope of practice encompasses such services, or an emergency medical services agency regulated by the Board.
   
   Public Safety Answering Point - means a communication center established to serve as the first point at which calls by or on behalf of patients are received requesting emergency medical assistance.
   
   Registration - means recognition by the Board that an individual or entity has met the eligibility requirements, completed the required training, and is granted permission to provide Early Defibrillation Services according to the regulations established by the Board.
   
   Ventricular Fibrillation - means a disturbance in the normal rhythm of the heart which is characterized by rapid, irregular and ineffective twitching of the lower chambers, or ventricles of the heart.
   
   Ventricular Tachycardia - means a rapid dysrhythmia origination in the ventricles. A pulse may or may not be present with this dysrhythmia.
   
3. Training Requirements: All officers will be trained in Basic Life Support and AED use by a certified instructor. All certifications will remain active and up-dated through the American National Red Cross or the American Heart Association. Records of training and certification will be kept at the Ferrum College Department of Human Resources. Good Samaritan civil immunity for the use of AED is applicable to officers.
   
   See attachments § 8.01-225 Persons rendering emergency care, obstetrical services exempt from liability.
   
4. Equipment: The Ferrum College Police Department has the Medtronic Lifepak 500 AED. Included is a carrying case, electrode pads (2 sets), and a CPR mask. Any problems must be immediately brought to the attention of the Chief of Police and/or Director of Health.
   
5. Inspection: The following equipment and supplies must be checked each day by the midnight officer:
   
   * Make sure the black cloth "Ambu Res-Cue Mask First Responder Kit is attached to the AED unit. The Kit includes:
   
   1 razor
   1 pocket mask
   1 pair scissors
   1 antiseptic towelette
   2 pairs of gloves.
   
   * Check the Status light of the AED unit. It should read, "OK."
   * Check that dated electrode set is attached to the AED unit and that the second set of electrodes is in the AED unit. Check wires for any damage.
   * Immediately notify the Chief of Police or the Director of Health Services of any problems with the AED (including replenishing supplies).
   
   * The Director of Health Services will ensure sufficient training has been provided to authorized service personnel in the use of any additional first aid equipment used.
   
   * The registration to operate the AED will be displayed at the Ferrum College Police Department.
   
6. Location: The AED will remain in one of the police vehicles. Extreme cold can result in the AED having an initial, slow warm-up.
   
7. Evaluation: Annually, the Chief of Police and the Director of Health Services will review the policy and procedures of the AED.
   
8. Procedures: Officers are not "Rescue" personnel!
   
   The AED is used for:
   
   Unresponsive patients
   Not breathing
   No pulse
   Over 8 years of age
   Over 55 pounds
   
   See Attachment - VA Dept. of Health - Basic Life Support/Automated External Defibrillation.
   
   - Notice has been made to the campus community to call 911 for the above conditions.
   -Dispatch will call a Ferrum College Unit who will respond.
   -Rescue will also be simultaneously dispatched.
   -Proceed with CPR/AED procedures until rescue arrives.
   -Fill out attached AED Usage Report- 3 copies. Copy 1 stays at the office. Copy 2 goes to the office of EMS. Copy 3 will go to the responding EMS agency no later than 5 days after the initial incident.