In Ashley Tebbett’s health class, a group of two to four students pile into the 600’s hallway to get tested on their ability to complete CPR and use AEDs. It can be a “stressful task,” according to Tebbets, but each team member cheers on the other, and together they learn how to save a life.
What is an AED?
This device, also known as an automated external defibrillator, is used to evaluate a person’s heart rhythm and, if needed, will deliver an electric shock to the heart to try to obtain a steady rhythm.
According to LHS nurse Casee Cullen, “AEDs can then interpret or read the patient’s heart rhythm, or lack [thereof], but the rhythm that it’s looking to detect is called ventricular fibrillation, [or ventricular tachycardia], which are life-threatening heart rhythms.”
What is CPR?
CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is a great way to keep oxygen and blood flowing through the body, but it can not shock the heart into a normal rhythm.
“CPR alone will not get [the patient] out of that irregular heart rhythm,” Cullen said. “You may be sustaining blood flow to the heart by compressing their chest, but your goal is to shock them out of that rhythm, and to get the heart beating normally.”
In order for the device to be more usable, the AED will actually tell you what to do. Once someone puts the pads on the patient, it will detect what kind of pulse is happening. Then it will say ‘advise to shock’, or ‘continue CPR.’ The AED will tell you one way or another, so one should never be scared of accidentally shocking someone who doesn’t need it.
“The general population might be scared of them, like it’s a big scary thing, but it’s really not,” Cullen said. “AEDs are so smart, so intuitive that they basically walk you through [the whole process].”
According to LHS nurse Sandy Dyche, the newer AEDs that were just brought into the district will actually tell you the depth at which you need to compress to deliver this life-saving service, and it will let you know if you aren’t compressing deep enough.
“It can actually feel and sense your actual compressions as you are doing CPR,” Dyche said. “These devices are actually super helpful and anybody can use them, even a child.”
Firefighter and paramedic Bryan Young, who has worked for the Londonderry Fire Department for almost 15 years, explained the amount of time someone can survive in V-fib or V-tach.
“Typically the longest you’ll see is ten minutes, but ideally the first two minutes are the most important,” Young said. “The sooner that you have blood flowing around the body while someone is in cardiac arrest, the more likely you will have a successful [survival rate].”
The reason AEDs are so important in saving somebody’s life is because they convert a fatal cardiac rhythm into hopefully an organized rhythm.
“The sooner you are able to convert this rhythm,” Young said, “the better off you are in getting [their heart] into a normal rhythm.”
According to the American Red Cross, sudden cardiac arrest is among the leading causes of death in the United States. AEDs can save precious time in saving one’s life, especially since cardiac arrest can be fatal within minutes.
“If another student or faculty member is the one who goes into cardiac arrest,” Young said. “the faster [someone] can get to [an AED], and get it back to the patient, the more likely they are to revive the person.”
Where are the AEDs at LHS?
There are eight AED locations: the main lobby, the nurse’s office, the end of the sky bridge at the 400/600
(Kaylee Mague)
junction, across from the library, the upper main gym, the lower gym near the weight room, LHS concession stand, and LMS press box.
“Students should know where the closest AED is in the school because a matter of time can make the difference,” Young said. “Time is of the essence when it comes to an AED.”
Tebbetts “appreciates” having CPR and AED in the curriculum because when they least expect it, they may have the opportunity to impact their community and family and even save a life.
“We tell [students] that unlike other classes where you hope you use their content, we always say we hope you never need this. But if you do use this, we hope you feel confident doing so,” Tebbetts said. “Emergencies happen when you least expect it, and you never know when you are going to be called into action.
Above is a map of the school with all of the AED locations in and around the school. See a heart? An AED is there. (Kaylee Mague)
