Archived AEDs and Target.

[TallAPGuy]

I have no clue how to use an AED and probably wouldn't because I'm too scared of killing somebody. Especially after that one scene in Breaking Bad where the German guy uses one to off himself. In any case my Target store is literally spitting distance from a hospital so I'll let the people who make $200,000+ a year handle it.

At my last job we had one randomly show up one day (it looked top of the line and VERY expensive) after a couple of employees at a neighboring store collapsed and died while working. They never told us whether or not we were expected to use it or what the policy was, or even if there was a policy, and they sure as hell didn't train us.

As @Amanda Cantwell said, it's actually a pretty idiot-proof device. They default to not shock if it senses anything is wrong, and they will only shock if it detects a correctable rhythm. Unlike what TV shows, a flat-line isn't correctable by an AED, so if it detects anything other than tacycardia (heart is beating way TOO FREAKING FAST) or fibrillation (heart isn't beating in the correct sequence) it won't shock. They can even detect other people touching the victims and wont shock, so they're very safe.

 

[garbage]

Honestly though, how many people know proper CPR?

Thus my reason for not needing AEDs. Your gonna attach the AED and it’s going to say “Stand Clear, do not touch the patient. Analyzing.”
Then it’s either going to deliver a shock or tell you to start compressions. You need to know how to do CPR with an AED.

 

[Tessa120]

Thus my reason for not needing AEDs. Your gonna attach the AED and it’s going to say “Stand Clear, do not touch the patient. Analyzing.”
Then it’s either going to deliver a shock or tell you to start compressions. You need to know how to do CPR with an AED.

There is a decent chance that some guest who actually knows CPR will jump in to help. But if we don't have an AED and the poor unfortunate slob's heart is tapping out a message in Morse code, could someone who knows CPR actually help them live? Or are they pretty much screwed and have to wait out that 5 or so minutes with the heart not really pushing blood along and the organs starving?

 

[garbage]

Or are they pretty much screwed and have to wait out that 5 or so minutes with the heart not really pushing blood along and the organs starving?

Correct CPR will keep the person alive.

 

[Tessa120]

I can see that if the heart stops. You push on it repeatedly until medical folks can get it going again. But what about VFib or AFib? The heart muscle is still moving on its own, it's just completely out of sync. What will CPR do for a heart that's perfectly fine but having an electrical glitch going on? Not being snarky, I genuinely don't know, but logic suggests that physical manipulation is not going to solve an electrical issue. Does it?

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

I think the best course of action would be call 911, describe symptoms, if they say to use an AED, use it.

 

[Tessa120]

You can only use it if there's one available. If there isn't, do we just tell the poor unconscious person on the floor "Sorry."? That's why I think there should be some in Target.

 

[redeye58]

What will CPR do for a heart that's perfectly fine but having an electrical glitch going on? Not being snarky, I genuinely don't know, but logic suggests that physical manipulation is not going to solve an electrical issue. Does it?

IIRC, CPR was ONLY in the absence of a pulse so if there IS activity CPR would not be helpful but AED might restore rhythm.

 

[Panda13]

My store has them. The county made it law. All STL, ETL Sr TL and keyholder got trained.

 

[garbage]

You can only use it if there's one available. If there isn't, do we just tell the poor unconscious person on the floor "Sorry."? That's why I think there should be some in Target.

No, you do CPR instead and call 911. The belief that you need an AED to save a life is mistaken. The medics will bring the equipment. If Target wants to spend the thousands and thousands of dollars to buy AEDs that would be awesome and I’d fully support that decision, although I’ve worked for Spot for over 3 years and have had several people collapse in my store. Not a single one needed CPR or an AED. They all collapsed due to other health conditions.

Don’t get me wrong, my argument here isn’t against AEDs. It’s that if Target has AEDs, then need to provide CPR training as well (which it seems like they are doing in store that are equipped.)