Updating AED to AHA 2005

MMiz

MMiz

I put the M in EMTLife
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Back in September or October my school got an AED. In January we got the RX, and soon after got a new battery.

Now I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas on how to update an AED to the latest AHA 2005 guidelines. I can buy the software from the manufacturer, but besides a local ambulance service, does anyone have any ideas of people who may be able to help out? Any idea how much it would cost to have a rep service it?

Legally we don't need AHA 2005, but are we making a mistake by putting the AED in service without it?

Thanks :)
 
Hey Matt,

Contact your local Red Cross chapter. Let them know what model you have and that you're looking to sign up for a service contract. Tell them that you need a contact person for pads, batteries, etc. At that point see if they can have a rep come by and update the software. Or, you can contact the manufacturer directly but that will probably cost you more in the end.

You are correct. Legally you don't have the AED programmed to 2005 procedures, but if someone who is newly/recently trained may be thrown for a loop when their training does not match the machines steps.

At the very minimum all of your staff should be trained to do what the machine is set up for. Once the machine is updated, then update your staff.
 
Chimpie said:
Contact your local Red Cross chapter.
Click to expand...


Depends on the chapter. Our local Red Cross doesn't even provide AED training.

Call the place where you got the AED. They should provide the upgrades for practically nothing. We received some grant funded AED's and the agency who distributed the units got the upgrades. Most manufacturers just love an excuse to come talk to you about all the new stuff they got to sell you and will do this sort of upgrade for free. Sort of like that 'free gift' you get for listening to a time-share sales pitch.
 
Chimpie said:
Hey Matt,

Contact your local Red Cross chapter.

At the very minimum all of your staff should be trained to do what the machine is set up for. Once the machine is updated, then update your staff.
Click to expand...

I would also recommend contacting the local AHA. Who is the maker of your AED? You could give them a call, just make sure to have the model and serial number for them to reference. We teach to the new guidelines but also according to AHA, if you have an AED that has not been updated to the new 2005 guidelines yet, run the machine how it has been programmed, as far as the series of shocks go. It is going to take, hate to say it, quite a bit of time to have all AED's reprogrammed. Hope this helps! :)
 
I had gone to the local Red Cross to ask to borrow their trainer for a day. Living in a small town, with an active Red Cross chapter, I was shocked at the response. They only wanted to train us, even though we already had AHA training, and only a few days later called and said we could borrow it. Again, this is in a small town where the Red Cross chapter was only a few blocks away from the school.

I know everyone needs to make a living, and the Red Cross is a business, but I guess I expected them to be a bit more generous.
 
MMiz said:
Now I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas on how to update an AED to the latest AHA 2005 guidelines. I can buy the software from the manufacturer, but besides a local ambulance service, does anyone have any ideas of people who may be able to help out? Any idea how much it would cost to have a rep service it?
Click to expand...
Anyone with a PC should be able to update it. I just updated ours at my full time job with nothing but the update software and a communications cable.
 
MMiz said:
I know everyone needs to make a living, and the Red Cross is a business, but I guess I expected them to be a bit more generous.
Click to expand...

Please understand that Red Cross isn't a business but is a community organization. They are often staffed with volunteers and some of those volunteers are less educated on all phases of what Red Cross does than others. You may have gotten a hold of one who only knew about the classes.
 
Please understand that Red Cross isn't a business but is a community organization.
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lotta 501-c-3's out there full of limosine liberal ceo's BossyCow

follow the $$$

~S~
 
Stevo said:
lotta 501-c-3's out there full of limosine liberal ceo's BossyCow

follow the $$$

~S~
Click to expand...
I see our Fourm Monkey is staying out of this ;)

I think the Red Cross varies from area to area... some have VERY involved disaster teams that RESPOND to emergencies... and some don't.
 
i worked for the ARC for a spell Jon

yes they are lots of help when needed

no, it ain't without a price

~S~
 
Stevo said:
lotta 501-c-3's out there full of limosine liberal ceo's BossyCow

follow the $$$

~S~
Click to expand...

Absolutely! But my post was in response to one person's experience with someone answering the phone at a local Red Cross Chapter. This was not an official statement of position from the Director of the Red Cross nationally.

Regardless of what is going on at the top... (if you don't believe me look at the upper echelons of the agency where you work) at the front lines of most agencies there are generally people who care and who are doing the best job they are capable of. In organizations like the Red Cross, those are very often volunteers. Red Cross chapters vary wildly in their focus, priorties and abilities. I have taught all kinds of classes through my local ARC chapter and work closely with them for many years, but they would be the last group I would call for updates to my AED because they do not even offer AED training as part of their FA or CPR classes. They are highly indvidualized agencies.
 
highly individualized, or diverse for the sake of profit Bossycow?

note the AHA spec's vs. the ARC's for instructorship are a fairly good example of marketing a package , cpr being one example

the AHA isn't anywhere near bent on saving the world as the ARC is, therein lies the difference of which i opine...(i've worked for both btw)

it takes $$$ to be a crusader these days....

~S~
 
As for updating the AED -

I'd heard from at least 1 instructor that you'd have to turn the AED off and then on again every 2 minutes to shock x1 if you were using a non-guidelines 2005 compliant AED.

PA State DOH put a memo out - if the AED isn't updated to the new standard... work with the old AED prompts. Never, Ever turn off the AED.
 
Stevo said:
highly individualized, or diverse for the sake of profit Bossycow?

note the AHA spec's vs. the ARC's for instructorship are a fairly good example of marketing a package , cpr being one example

the AHA isn't anywhere near bent on saving the world as the ARC is, therein lies the difference of which i opine...(i've worked for both btw)

it takes $$$ to be a crusader these days....

~S~
Click to expand...


By the term highly individualized, I mean that each chapter varies on their focus and their priorities. My local chapter is in the back room of an old DNR facility. (That's Department of Natural Resources, not Do Not Rescusucitate)
They are primarily staffed by little old ladies who get really flustered if people ask too many questions or the phone rings too much. There is only one paid administrator who makes around $30K to keep CPR/FA classes running and to coordinate the disaster relief program. She does a great job and puts in way more time than she gets paid for, even pitching in and teaching the classes when an instructror bails on her. They are johnny on the spot with rehab and food at all fire calls in the county, (that's about 7 different agencies) They do a tremendous amount of good with a small amount of resources.

Anytime any group goes national and starts competing for those federal funds and big money donations, they are going to have problems. I too have worked with both AHA and ARC. Both agencies have their weaknesses and their strengths. But, my local ARC chapter doesn't fit the image you have of them as a money grubbing entity just out to line the pockets of a .. what did you call it.. limo riding CEO...? I will always differentiate between the work being done by individuals in an organization and the policies and procedural decisions being made by those at the top.
 
Like most things in life, it really depends on the local representatives/chapter. Back home I know I could have called my local AHA center and they'd do it for me. Now the center is run by a person that wouldn't do squat for me.

I'd hate to characterize any huge organization by a local chapter, so I won't do so. I was more wondering if anyone had any outside the box type ideas :)
 
After you deliver the shock, close the lid.
There you go, new guidelines fast and cheap.
 
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