PADI Defib program

[Bubble Boy]

In Ontario Defibrillation of a heart is a deligated medical act. That means a Doctor signs for the firefighter, paramedic or even a cop or lifeguard to do it under his/her medical license.

Is it not a deligated medical act in any states? What Doctor would take the liability? Yes I know with the AED they are all ready dead and dead people dont complain (too much). But what about the risk of shocking by-standers.

I am not a PADI Instructor nor do I have a firm opinion one way or the other but I do not know how a person can be certified to do something they cant do?

I am babbling again......Question is: Is defib a deligated medical act in any US State or European country?

 

[John Reinertson]

AED's are progressing from delegated to being available to public and taught along with basic CPR.

I currently supervise an ambulance service where all the Emergency Med Techs are certified and I have authorized them to use AED's for many years. Recently it has become a part of EMT licensure and is no longer a "specialized" skill.

They are available in many US airports and many public places, and are available by breaking a seal that sets off an alarm, not unlike fire extinguishers, etc.

The usage is being liberalized in the US. How about our European colleaugues.. what's up there?

John

 

[Alban]

Hello , I think defibs are in a glass case in some UK Airports but I don't know who would use them , I guess the Paramedics on site are trained , I am unsure of the Law concerning their use here .

Yours Alban

 

[SDAnderson]

They're medical devices and require a doctor's authorization to put in place, but no training is required in the States to use them. Those that do use them are protected from liability claims by Good Samaritan statutes in all fifty states. The Federal Cardiac Survival Act extends federal immunity to users, as well.

Training in their use is available and isn't a bad thing, but as an ARC AED instructor I can tell you that offering the training has as much to do with meeting public demand and making money as it does with providing a needed service.

The devices are automated. When you open the machine, it talks to you, as long as you can listen to and follow the instructions it's almost impossible to make a mistake. They are definitely not complicated and were designed so that grade school kids can use them effectively.

They work. If you're nervous about lawyers and liability, get the training. Combine it with a basic first aid class and CPR training and you'll have done something good for the world.

Steven

 

[drizzt117]

I have to agree about getting the training. While AEDs are not complicated, it is always helpful to know exactly what you are doing in an emergency. While they walk you through it step by step, if you are unfamilar with a piece of equipment in an emergency, you might panic.

Good Samaritan laws vary state to state so you would have to check your local laws to see what is covered. AED classes only take a few hours. In fact, they are starting to get encorporated in some CPR classes which is also good.

When a lay-person effectively uses an AED on patient before me as a Paramedic arrives helps me out a great deal and increases their chances for survival.

I think the reason PADI offers such a class is that most diving deaths are due to Myocardial Infarctions (Heart Attacks). The most common heart rhythm that occurs following this event is Ventricular Fibrillation (or V-Fib) which is a shockable rhythm. If they get divers trained in AEDs, if they are available on dive boats, they might help save a divers life.

Thomas

 

[chiara]

In Belgium it is illegal to use a defibrillator unless you are a paramedic or higher and do so as your main job.

This will cause more than a few problems when the new PADI regulation is enforced.

 

[Dytis]

if PADI's standards clash with a foreign country's legislation, the PADI member simply has to adhere to the laws of the country he/she is living in. Are you restricted in any way with the current MFA programme in applying BLS?

 

[chiara]

Dytis once bubbled...
if PADI's standards clash with a foreign country's legislation, the PADI member simply has to adhere to the laws of the country he/she is living in. Are you restricted in any way with the current MFA programme in applying BLS?

No, no restrictions for manual CPR and use of oxygen.

 

[SubMariner]

The new PADI Emergency Responder course (EFR) is replacing the Medic First Aid course, which will ultimately be discontinued next year.

Without going into too much detail, I would like to point out that while AED and O2 administration are parts of the course, they are OPTIONAL, not MANDATORY. So it IS possible to take the new PADI EFR course WITHOUT either of those two sections.

Therefore, since EFR will be taught by local Instructors who must adhere to local laws, there should be no conflict with regard to the AED.

~SubMariner~

 

[Nessie]

PADI is not the first agency whose First-Aid-courses teach AED-administration. Here in Germany a lot of organizations (diving and non-diving) do. DAN has a course as well, or is it just a DAN-Europe???