AED Care - The Must-Do Maintenance Tips

AEDs are common medical emergency equipments used by medical professional involved in immediate care and relief of patients suffering from a cardiac arrest. When the rhythm of the hear becomes unstable and beats in irregular pattern, the heart may stop and a cardiac arrest may occur. This results in the disruption of the flow of the blood and inhibits supply of oxygen on vital organs and cells of the body. Prolonged diminished or lack of supply of blood can result to brain damage and other dangerous conditions that may lead to body dysfunction or death. When a company or individuals buy AEDs for use, much has to be taken care of including choosing the right kind of AED brand, training the right people who will use the device, price and availability, ease of use, and other factors that will determine its effective use. Not everyone can use the AED properly but there are many agencies that can help in training people in the use of automated external defibrillators or AEDs like the Red Cross. Training and the right features determine decision making in the purchase of this kind of equipment that is making waves as part of the gear of medical response teams-thanks to medical themed films and TV shows. Keeping an AED in a good condition is easy too. The first cardinal rule is keeping it clean. Although maintenance procedures may be different and may vary from brand to brand, a defibrillator follows the same maintenance rule-being safe that is. To be safe, one must follow the maintenance procedures as specified by the manufacturer of the product. There is always a status indicator on the device when you buy AEDs and you have to make sure that the AED is ready for use. A three month safety check might be necessary for AED devices to ensure that it is still safe to use and that it will still perform as effective as when it was bought before. Cleanliness and cracks must be taken into consideration. The pads must not be used beyond their expiration dates as it may not perform as effective as before. The electrodes must still be attached properly with no bits and pieces hanging out of its “skin”. The batteries must not be used beyond it expiration period and it should be made sure that that the other rescue supplies like gloves and masks are still in the “kit”. Attention should be made on the status indicator. If it is not functioning, have the device looked at by the manufacturers or by the supplier who supplied the device. There are companies who require a regular AED check-up. Do not hesitate to return the equipment to the suppliers of the AED if it does not function according to expectations. AEDs must be fully operational and effective. Remember that it is always a matter of life and death when an AED is used. Having an automated defibrillator that is defective may cost you the life of a patient.