AED On Hockey Player

[Mountain Res-Q]

I play hockey all the time. I ve been to ice arenas where the conditions are terrible. Trust me..standing water on the ice can/does exist. Clear C-spine and get your patient off the ice. Additionally, this makes getting the patient to the ambulance when the responding crew shows up a lot easier.

2 Questions:

How do you plan on "clearing c-spine" on on unconscious patient?

Why would you want to waste the time worrying about the slim chance of a c-spine injury, when the patient is at that moment CLINICALLY DEAD? Why are we worring about c-spine and transport when there is a higher priority glaring you in the face... namely NO BREATHING and NO BEATING?

 

[lightsandsirens5]

Yea, forget full spinal precautions. Just pump and blow.^_^ I mean if there are definate c-spine injury MOIs, the yes, be careful, don't drag him aroung by his head. But really, a secure c-spine on a dead patient does not always look good for you.h34r:

 

[robbaN28]

Another question about this topic.

Would you cut his chest protector and jersey off?

 

[Mountain Res-Q]

Another question about this topic.

Would you cut his chest protector and jersey off?

Ummm... how would you do compressions otherwise... or attatch the AED pads... or visualize the chest (checking for medication patches, signs of surgery, internal pacemaker or defibrillator)?

 

[robbaN28]

Ummm... how would you do compressions otherwise... or attatch the AED pads... or visualize the chest (checking for medication patches, signs of surgery, internal pacemaker or defibrillator)?

True, I wasn't thinking about that. I played with a goalie today who has a pacemaker, so it was interesting to talk to him about that.

 

[ah2388]

100% cut that stuff off, shock him where you sit....and get enough people to move him quickly off the ice and continue compressions

 

[Shishkabob]

Ice is not a great conductor.


And just a bit of trivia... pure water and pure ice, with no impurities, does not conduct electricity at all.

 

[JPINFV]

Yes, but how many ice rinks are using distilled or deionized water?

 

[Aidey]

and get enough people to move him quickly off the ice and continue compressions

Don't have the people come and help you. Have them run and get every loose rug in the place and throw em down for traction.

 

[johnrsemt]

loose rugs, jackets; shirts, and jersies all make for better traction

 

[rescue99]

loose rugs, jackets; shirts, and jersies all make for better traction

None of you are from Michigan, eh? Arrest works the same on ice as it does on dirt...push and blow, quick board the guy and go. If ya do fall, get up and don't do it again. Boots do fairly well on ice....

 

[xxdavis06xx]

Solid ice does not conduct electricity because the ions are not free to move around. If there was no water then using the A.E.D. wouldn't be a problem. Depending on the amount and kind of shoes it could be possible to use it and then possible move the patient. And you could always put the patient on a backboard...

 

[MediMike]

I was a transmission lineman for a couple years, and headed up our safety program. We did helicopter work, so they'd drop us off on the towers we'd do our work they'd pick us up etc. etc., anyways concerns were raised about an arrest up on a steel tower and the feasability of using an AED on the steel surfaces.

Anyways, I contacted Philips (manufacturers of our AEDs) and they sent us a detailed study they'd conducted regarding the use of AEDs in standing water, ice, steel, and a swimming pool. Their study showed no danger to the rescuers when using the AED.

As was stated earlier in this thread, the current is designed to travel from one pad to the other, as long as the chest is dry there should be no issued regarding conductance.

Now all that aside, I've seen a rescue done in a rink before...get him off the ice