Directions

Write a one to two paragraph response for numbers 1 through 5. Write a two to three page response for number 6.

1. Suppose you are at your office and hear a commotion. You look over to find an older coworker on the floor. Several employees are standing around. You approach, examine the patient, and find him unresponsive and pulseless. Your building has a defibrillator by the elevator about two minutes away. As a first responder, what are your initial tasks and decisions? Which tasks would you delegate, and which would you perform yourself?

2. You have been called to the scene of an unresponsive patient. When you arrive, you take BSI precautions and determine the scene is safe to enter. You also note that someone is performing CPR on an elderly woman, who is lying on the ground. Explain the steps you would take in administering shock using an AED.

3. Explain why there is a difference between defibrillation procedures for witnessed arrests and for patients who have been down prior to your arrival. Be specific and give examples.

4. When performing CPR, if you positioned your hands on the patient's chest incorrectly, what would be the likely result of the chest compressions?

5. Explain the reason(s) why you must hold your fingers off a patient's chest while performing compressions.

6. Find literature for the makers of 3 AED's. Compare and contrast each model. Which would you recommend, and why?