AWARENESS OF AED SAFETY AMONG EMPLOYEES AT UNTHSC

Purpose: Cardiovascular Disease is the number cause of death in America and is the leading cause of death in adults over the age of forty. Cardiac arrest is the primary cause of sudden death in individuals who are not admitted into the hospital, and the majority of these deaths are due to Ventricular fibrillation (VF). Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are portable machines typically located in public areas that diagnose VF and treat with defibrillation. The American Heart Association introduced AEDs through community public access defibrillator programs and helped pass laws throughout the United States to ensure that AEDs are available in public facilities. In the past year, the campus of UNTHSC has increased 1) the awareness of AED safety and use, and 2) the implementation of CPR and AED training. Methods: A survey was conducted to evaluate awareness on the safety of AED use and the presence of AEDs on campus among non-clinical employees. Results: The increased training was accompanied by a small increase in knowledge of the "location of the nearest AED" (45% to 52%), and the "fear of misuse" decreased from 56% to 47%. Moreover, the "fear of a lawsuit" was reduced from 47% to 29%. Conclusions: Although these findings suggest that the general awareness has improved, the data suggest that a greater effort is needed to better inform the general public of the safety of AED use.