Page 76 - Occupational Health & Safety, October 2018

DEFIBRILLATORS & CPR
ing to attach the AED as soon as possible; even while you are doing chest compressions, the AED can be safely turned on and applied to the victim. The large oval or square pads need to be placed like the pictograms on the pads: one toward the upper right region of the victim’s chest and the other on the left side of the chest, beneath the heart. When the pads are on properly, the victim’s heart is basi- cally in between the two pads.
The AED may identify a condition where the machine will dis- charge electricity, and the victim’s heart is the target. This large elec- trical shock is going to “reset” all the cardiac cells at once, and they may pick up with their normal routine with coordinated electrical activity that produces a pulse and delivers blood to the brain and body. Remember, the AED is automated, not automatic. You still need to push a “shock” button if the computer in the AED recog- nizes a “shockable” condition. If there is no electrical activity at all or if the heart is beating normally, the AED is designed not allow delivery of an electrical shock. The AED will make an audible an- nouncement that says “analyzing now.” This is when you need to stop doing CPR, and you need to make sure you or anyone else is not touching the patient. Remember, if there is a faint heartbeat or if there is no electrical activity at all in the heart, the AED will not give the command to charge and shock. Let the AED be the boss for the next few minutes. It will tell you when to do CPR and when to stop so that it can assess the victim. If the AED detects a shockable condition, it will advise you to “push to shock.” For your
safety, you want to make sure that you or the other people helping you are not touching the victim when he is shocked. You will see the victim’s body jerk or move as this electricity is sent through the chest to the heart. The AED will not assess for two more minutes, and you are going to perform CPR for those two minutes.
If there are two or more of you there, be sure to take turns and rotate rescuers every two minutes. To do the compressions are the correct depth (1 1⁄2- 2 inches) and the correct rate (100-120 com- pressions per minutes), it can be very fatiguing to the rescuer. Ro- tate your roles so that every two minutes, there is a rested rescuer who will be ready to provide the necessary compressions.
You and your colleagues are the best tools for the job. You are causing the victim’s heart to beat because it is not able to beat on its own. There is no guarantee of survival, but you are giving the security guard the best chance in the situation you are in.
Be Ready for EMS to Arrive
So what are some other concerns that you need to think about if this was to happen in your workplace? Calling 911 and obtaining an AED are paramount to buy the most time for the victim. Now that the EMS personnel are on their way, there are some actions you can take to make that transition fast and smooth. Remember that you were on the fourth floor of the building? Do the EMS per- sonnel know the best way to find you? You can also assist in having an elevator called and ready; idle time waiting for an elevator can
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