Several Elon staff members spent part of Valentine's Day learning how to use new heart defibrillator units that can save victims of cardiac arrest.
Elon recently installed 13 new Automatic External Defibrillator
(AED) units at locations across campus, making the potentially
life-saving devices more accessible in case of emergency. The new units
bring the total number of AEDs on the Elon campus to 15.
Ken Brown, a certified health and safety consultant, conducted Wednesday’s training session for select Elon staff members. The session included CPR training as well as instruction on proper use of the AED units. Staff members also learned how to administer CPR to a child and how to rescue a victim who is choking.
AED
units can restore normal heart rhythm in sudden cardiac arrest victims.
The unit analyzes the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, allows a
rescuer to deliver an electric shock to the victim. This shock, called
defibrillation, may halt the rapid and chaotic activity association
with sudden cardiac arrest and help the heart restore an effective
rhythm. Defibrillation is the only known treatment to restore normal
heart rhythm.
According to the American Heart Association,
about 220,000 people suffer sudden cardiac arrest each year. Cardiac
arrest is triggered by abnormal heart rhythms that cause the heart’s
electrical impulses to become erratic. The heart stops abruptly and the
victim collapses and loses consciousness. Death follows unless a normal
heart rhythm can be restored within a few minutes. For every minute
defibrillation is delayed, the victim’s changes of survival decrease
7-10 percent.
Only certified AED users should attempt to use
the AED units. Elon will offer more training sessions for designated
personnel, staff and students to earn certification as AED users on
Feb. 28 and March 9. Approximately 40 faculty, staff and
students are certified AED users and the university expects more than
100 certified users will be trained in the next month.