AED and O2

[texdiveguy]

I have a question for you PSD whom have delt with this type of situation..... I will soon be finishing my DAN Diving Emergency Specialist (DES) rating,,,,which among many preq. courses you must have DAN O2 and DAN Adv. O2 plus AED certf. just to mention a few. **My question is when you have been adm. CPR and O2 via an oronasal mask to a patient and then an AED unit comes available,,,,,,do you need to remove the mask/O2 from the patient to adm. the AED shock to avoid explosion-fire,,,,,or is this not a threat? I feel I know the answer,,,,that being it poses no great danger,,in that it is done in ERs daily,,,,but I still want to cover myself just in case the "perfect world" setting with all the tools ever happens.

 

[Firefyter]

I have a question for you PSD whom have delt with this type of situation..... I will soon be finishing my DAN Diving Emergency Specialist (DES) rating,,,,which among many preq. courses you must have DAN O2 and DAN Adv. O2 plus AED certf. just to mention a few. **My question is when you have been adm. CPR and O2 via an oronasal mask to a patient and then an AED unit comes available,,,,,,do you need to remove the mask/O2 from the patient to adm. the AED shock to avoid explosion-fire,,,,,or is this not a threat? I feel I know the answer,,,,that being it poses no great danger,,in that it is done in ERs daily,,,,but I still want to cover myself just in case the "perfect world" setting with all the tools ever happens.

Leave it on, it won't make any difference. And just because you apply the AED pads doesn't mean it's gonna let you shock him anyway. The shocks are only allowed under certain circumstances, and if these criteria are not met, the AED will not allow a shock. But you'll learn all of this during the AED course

 

[Wildcard]

Not a risk at all. Ive even defibed people when we were both wet without a problem.

 

[texdiveguy]

Leave it on, it won't make any difference. And just because you apply the AED pads doesn't mean it's gonna let you shock him anyway. The shocks are only allowed under certain circumstances, and if these criteria are not met, the AED will not allow a shock. But you'll learn all of this during the AED course

Hey Thomas good hearing from you......yep I have gone thru AED class and learned about the proceedures and the function of the eqpmt.,,,and you answered my question...I thought that to be the answer,but just wanted to hear it confirmed by you pro's!! Alan

 

[jonnythan]

The two times I've seen people defibrilated were both in ER's and both were being manually ventilated with a bag. Both times all contact with the person, including the vetilation mask, was removed for the defibrilation.

For what it's worth.

 

[ReneeC]

The recommendation, for lay responders which you fall into, is to shut off the O2 flow while the AED is in use. Don't waste time removing the mask.

 

[bridgediver]

I'd say don't waste time shutting the O2 off either. Less of a chance of forgetting to turn it back on - its very likely that you will forget because of all that you'll have to deal with

 

[texdiveguy]

I'd say don't waste time shutting the O2 off either. Less of a chance of forgetting to turn it back on - its very likely that you will forget because of all that you'll have to deal with

Yea the O2 stays on for sure...... With what I have heard here and visited with other EMT's the mask will also stay in place.

 

[ReneeC]

Yea the O2 stays on for sure...... With what I have heard here and visited with other EMT's the mask will also stay in place.

Please bear in mind that I am not argueing nor contradicting you guys but there is a distinction between trained professionals and those trained by PADI, NAUI, etc or even Red Cross or American Heart. You still need to go by the training received in order to avoid liabilities should something go wrong.

As a Red Cross and American Heart instructor trainer "do not use an AED in the presence of flowing oxygen" is the rule. Dan's O2 course references AEDs and says something like "do not use oxygen around a potential ignition source."

Hopefully one will not be alone in this kind of emergency and it would be easy enough to direct someone to be in charge of turning the O2 off while you are setting up the AED and then on when needed again.

My two cents

 

[texdiveguy]

Please bear in mind that I am not argueing nor contradicting you guys but there is a distinction between trained professionals and those trained by PADI, NAUI, etc or even Red Cross or American Heart. You still need to go by the training received in order to avoid liabilities should something go wrong.

As a Red Cross and American Heart instructor trainer "do not use an AED in the presence of flowing oxygen" is the rule. Dan's O2 course references AEDs and says something like "do not use oxygen around a potential ignition source."

Hopefully one will not be alone in this kind of emergency and it would be easy enough to direct someone to be in charge of turning the O2 off while you are setting up the AED and then on when needed again.

My two cents

Renee your point is well taken--thanks....you are right about what DAN says in regards to the O2 around an ignition source....that is one of the reasons I wrote this post. Happy diving to you!!