 | Question: If this man suffers Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) from Ventricular Fibrillation (VF) or Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) in your hospital, what are his chances of surviving? Answer: The answer...it depends largely on where he is, who's nearby, and what type of response model is in place. Where:
The average SCA survival rate in hospitals is 15% across all departments, including critical care – unchanged for the last 40 years of |
defibrillation practice. If the patient is in the lobby, cafeteria, or a general care floor when sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) strikes, his survival chances are typically much less than 15 percent. The American Heart Association (AHA) notes that long delays (5 to 10 minutes) can occur before a conventional in-hospital code team first attempts defibrillation. But, if SCA happens in the CCU or a cardiac lab, where Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) clinicians and defibrillators are immediately available and treatment can be delivered promptly, his survival odds can jump to 90%.
Who:
There's no better way to consistently provide prompt treatment for SCA than by training all personnel in both cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation. Today, most Basic Life Support (BLS) responders are trained in CPR only, and defibrillation is the exclusive responsibility of ACLS-trained clinicians. Ideally, any BLS responder - nurse, respiratory care practitioner, nursing assistant, medical student, technician, and security person - would be prepared to deliver the first defibrillation shock using an automated external defibrillator (AED).
What type:
A tiered response model, in which defibrillation is provided by whomever is first to arrive on scene, whether ACLS- or BLS-trained, offers an opportunity for a consistent practice standard throughout the hospital. In fact, the AHA and other professional organizations have directives for improving resuscitation practice, including recommendations for deploying AEDs, training personnel, and delivering the first shock within 3 minutes of patient collapse.
Solution:
Philips offers a comprehensive solution of products and services for in-hospital defibrillation:
- AEDs ideally suited to healthcare facilities
- Advanced-care defibrillator/monitors
- Clinical specialists who can offer personalized site analysis, design, and implementation materials
- AED program implementation materials
- Training