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Automatic External Defibrillators

















S
TARTING AN

A
UTOMATED
E
XTERNAL
D
EFIBRILLATOR

P
ROGRAM AT
P
ENN
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TATE










January 2006

AED

S
UBCOMMITTEE

S
TAFF
A
DVISORY
C
OMMITTEE TO THE
D
EAN

C
OLLEGE OF
A
GRICULTURAL
S
CIENCES

T
HE
P
ENNSYLVANIA
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TATE
U
NIVERSITY





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E
XECUTIVE
S
UMMARY


Everyday, more than 600 people in the United States die of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). SCA is
an electrical malfunction of the heart and is characterized by turbulent, disorganized or
abnormally rapid beating of the heart muscle. The annual number of SCA deaths in the United
States is greater than those reported from traffic accidents, house fires, breast cancer, prostate
cancer and AIDS combined.

The Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a portable medical device capable of being used
by non-medical personnel on a victim of SCA. Time is critical. After 10 minutes, without AED
intervention, SCA results in sudden cardiac death.

PSU Policy SY22 permits AED installation in Penn State buildings. Currently, more than 50
AEDs are active at Penn State-University Park.

We believe that an AED program can encourage communication between and among faculty and
staff. AED training can give employees another reason for workplace pride.

It is important to acknowledge a range of personal comfort levels in responding to emergencies,
but as a community of employees, we can promote AED awareness and assist those employees
who desire to be trained responders.























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M
ISSION


The mission of the AED Subcommittee is to communicate awareness of the Automated External
Defibrillator and to provide AED resource information. We emphasize support for Penn State
Policy SY22: Automated External Defibrillators.



V
ALUES


We honor the values stated in the
College of Agricultural Sciences Strategic Plan 2005-2008.




V
ISION


The AED Subcommittee aspires to be a model provider of resource information for starting a
unit-level AED program at Penn State.

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ABLE OF
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ONTENTS


I
NTRODUCTION
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NIT
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OORDINATOR
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DENTIFY
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MPLOYEES
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ESIRING
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RAINING
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I
DENTIFY
F
UNDING
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OURCE
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4)

I
DENTIFY
AED

L
OCATION
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5)

S
CHEDULE
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NITIAL
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RAINING
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C
ERTIFICATION
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6)

P
REPARE
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OCUMENTATION
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7)

O
RDER
AED

S
TATION
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8)

I
NSTALL
AED

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TATION
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9)

S
CHEDULE
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EARLY
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RAINING
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C
ERTIFICATION
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10)

M
AINTAIN
E
QUIPMENT
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A
PPENDICES
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A
PPENDIX
A: AED

P
RODUCT
I
NFORMATION
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A
PPENDIX
B: P
ENN
S
TATE
P
OLICY
SY22 .......................................................................11
A
PPENDIX
C: T
HE
G
OOD
S
AMARITAN
L
AW
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A
PPENDIX
D: AED

M
ANUFACTURER
I
NDEMNIFICATION
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A
PPENDIX
E: AED

S
UBCOMMITTEE
W
EB
S
ITE
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A
PPENDIX
F: AED

P
URCHASE
O
RDER
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A
PPENDIX
G: ADA

S
TANDARDS FOR
A
CCESSIBLE
D
ESIGN
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A
PPENDIX
H: E
XAMPLE OF AN
A
PPROVED
P
LAN TO
U
SE AN
AED

U
NIT
(
S
) ......................23
A
PPENDIX
I: P
HOTOGRAPH OF AN
I
NSTALLED
AED

S
TATION
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I
NTRODUCTION


Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) can result from an electrical abnormality in the heart know as
arrhythmia. During SCA the heart muscle contracts abnormally causing a loss of pulse, blood
pressure, and consciousness. Death will result if the abnormal cardiac rhythm is not corrected.

SCA can strike anyone, regardless of age, race, or gender. It is estimated that more than 250,000
people in the United States fall victim to SCA each year. Since most SCAs occur in the pre-
hospital environment, efforts to increase the probability of recovery have focused on providing
prompt delivery of emergency treatment to victims at the location of the arrest. It is recognized
that many factors may make it impossible for emergency medical professionals to reach the
victim within 10 minutes from the onset of the arrest. Technology now makes it possible for
trained responders to begin treatment before emergency medical professional arrive on the scene.
The emergency treatment for the arrhythmias associated with SCA is an electrical shock applied
to the heart by a defibrillator. A manual defibrillator requires a medical professional to read and
interpret the arrhythmias. An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a medical device capable
of being used at the location of the arrest by trained responders. Once the AED is connected to
the victim, its computer systems will monitor, identify and interpret cardiac rhythms. If an
abnormal cardiac rhythm is detected, the AED will enable the shock delivery circuit and advise
the operator to deliver the shock. If an abnormal cardiac rhythm is not detected, the shock
delivery circuit remains inactivated.
Trained responders know that AEDs are only one of the vital links in the SCA chain of survival.
Early 911, Early CPR, Early AED and Early Advanced Care all are needed to help save a victim
of SCA.

The AED Subcommittee was created to help provide information and support to Penn State
employees who may be interested in starting a unit-level AED program. The Subcommittee is
pleased to report that, with our assistance on February 15, 2005, the first AED in an academic
unit at Penn State was installed in the department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering in
the College of Agricultural Sciences.

This document is an organized collection of resource information only and should not be
considered authoritative. The resources presented herein should reduce the time needed to
research and implement a unit-level AED Program at Penn State.

References
SCA Overview:
http://www.chainofsurvival.com/sca/SCAOverview_detail.asp

AED Locations at Penn State:
http://www.sa.psu.edu/uhs/ems/aedlocations.cfm

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TARTING AN
AED

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ROGRAM AT
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ENN
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TATE



1)

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DENTIFY
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NIT
AED

C
OORDINATOR

The AED coordinators responsibilities are vital to the entire unit-level AED program. The
AED coordinator works in cooperation with the unit leader to manage the AED program. A
likely candidate for AED coordinator is the current unit safety or facilities officer. Where a
building houses more that one unit, responsibilities could be shared among units by a multi-
unit committee. Each unit would have a representative on the multi-unit committee. The
multi-unit committee chair would serve as the main point of contact with Penn State-
Emergency Medical Services (PSU-EMS).

The AED coordinator provides for the requirements of Penn State Policy SY22: Automated
External Defibrillators. Policy SY22 ensures University compliance with Pennsylvania law,
42 Pa.C.S. § 8331.2, better known as The Good Samaritan Law. The Good Samaritan Law
and Penn State Policy SY22 together provide the foundation for public access defibrillation
(PAD) at Penn State. Prudent compliance of these policy requirements protects the
University and the public from liability. Further indemnification is provided by the AED
manufacturer.



The AED manufacturer indicated in the Appendices, although not exclusive, is used by PSU-
EMS.

References
Appendix A: AED Product Information
Appendix B: Penn State Policy SY22
Appendix C: The Good Samaritan Law
Appendix D: AED Manufacturer Indemnification


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Penn State Policy SY22 requires unit employees to be trained in Adult CPR/AED. Effective
communication with unit employees is vital in establishin