Congregational Nurse Project of Northwest Ohio (CNPNWPO)
The Standard and Practice Committee's Recommendations for faith communities considering Automatic External Defibrillator (AED)
A few faith communities
in Northwest Ohio either have purchased or are
considering the purchase of an AED. The Standards and Practice Committee
of CNPNWO has developed a suggested list of issues for the faith community
to consider as you explore the advisability of purchasing an AED.
Implementing measures to promote cardiac health, increasing knowledge of
disease prevention, discussion of end-of-life issues, and scheduling CPR
training are just a few of the ways the faith community may grow while
exploring the issue of a need for an AED.
These are issues to
consider on your AED exploration journey.
1) Education. Begin by offering programs on:
a) Health promotion
b) Cardiac health
c) Disease prevention
2) Offer programs on advanced directives, living wills, durable power of
attorney for health care, and do not resuscitate directives so that wishes
of people in your faith community are known.
3) Train members to recognize and respond to health emergencies. CPR and
First Aid Classes available in your community can be found through the
local American Heart Association
or the American Red Cross .
4) Consult your faith community's attorney for advice regarding potential
liability. Check state laws to determine if lay rescuers are given limited
liability immunity. In Ohio there are no known lawsuits against lay rescuers
providing CPR as Good Samaritans, nor any against AED users.
5) Follow the AED checklist on the American Heart Association web site
www.americanheart.org. Anticipate a cost between $1,700 and $3,000. A
physician order is needed to purchase an AED. Select a model compatible
with your local EMS equipment. Inform your local EMS of your purchase and
the location of AED.
6) Provide education to faith community members on your specific AED.
Education should include avoiding potentially hazardous situations.
7) Place the AED in a visible, unobstructed area near a phone.
8) Establish a program of proper equipment maintenance and establish a
quality improvement program with physician and health ministry team
oversight. Consult the user's manual.
9) Follow guidelines in user manual with CPR AED protocol.
