AEDs, or automated external defibrillators, are key pieces of equipment that can save many people’s lives. However, they are not yet a mandatory part of health and safety training. Despite the good they can do in saving people’s lives, many are still ignoring the benefits an AED defibrillator can have for someone’s life and business.
What Does an AED Device Do?
We have all seen an AED device in action in hospital dramas and films. These are devices medical professionals use to send an electrical current through a patient’s heart to get it restarted. It is mainly used to treat cardiac arrhythmias and it is designed to be simple to use.
The devices that most people will use will be much more different than the ones they use in hospitals. Those are designed to be used by medical professionals. Even if you have had some training with an AED machine, it is likely to be very different from one a doctor uses as it has to be simplified for members of the public.
Does It Take Time to Learn?
AED training can be administered in the course of a regular First Aid training day. While it is recommended that a little more time is spent focusing on this – or even taking a course built around AED devices – it can be a segment of a much wider day’s training.
So many people have to undergo some form of First Aid training in their personal and professional lives. If you are working with people as a consultant or coach in some capacity, it is often a requirement that you become a first aider so you can help if someone becomes injured on your courses. Many workplaces also require at least one member of staff to be a first aider.
With so many people needing to undertake First Aid courses, it could be easy to also build in AED training to these days. These courses often take the full day or longer. Adding in an extra section should not add extra content.
Are the Devices Available?
It is not enough to have the training if you do not have the equipment too. Luckily, more and more AED devices are being installed in public places. From restaurants to shopping malls to high schools, it is easier than ever to track down one of these devices. However, we also need to make sure that there are plenty of people with the knowledge needed to operate one.
AED training should become a mandatory part of First Aid lessons. While there is a lot to learn in first aid, there is always rooms for a little more knowledge. One can never know when an AED device could save someone’s life. We need to ensure that there will always be plenty of people who can operate these devices. It could be the difference between someone dying or being kept alive until first responders can arrive to help. Look into AED training for your business today. Even though it is not yet compulsory, you should definitely think about investing in it as a skillset soon.